According to congressional auditors  RTX's ambitious system of 17 ground stations, designed for current and next-gen GPS satellites, was slated for readiness by October. It was then supposed to undergo rigorous Space Force tests to determine if it could be operational by December 2025.

However, the system has become a lightning rod for lawmakers' frustration, being over seven years behind schedule and 73 per cent more expensive than initially projected.

The Government Accountability Office's broad review of the US military's GPS program, which includes enhancements to thwart adversarial jamming, highlighted that two rounds of testing by RTX have been "marked by significant challenges that drove delays to the program's schedule."

The Next Generation Operational Control System, or OCX, is intended to offer advancements such as more secure, jam-resistant software for military GPS use, which is also crucial for civilians globally.

The new ground system is needed to take full advantage of improved GPS III satellites being built by Lockheed Martin Corp. They promise increased accuracy for navigation, a signal compatible with similar European satellites and improved resistance against cyberattacks.

Yet, the Pentagon's Defense Contract Management Agency warned the GAO that "the programme faces challenges from product deficiencies" that "create a risk of further delay," and they don't expect RTX to deliver OCX before December at the earliest.

The delay’s costs are borne by taxpayers under the so-called cost-plus development contract that RTX’s predecessor Raytheon received in 2010. In 2016, a top Air Force general called it the Pentagon’s “No. 1 troubled program.”