LITENING color targeting pods by Northrop Grumman to equip F-16s
NewsMay 06, 2021
FALLS CHURCH, Va. Northrop Grumman Corporation announced that its LITENING advanced targeting pod has been fielded for the first time with full-color, digital video capability with the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, intended to give pilots of the service’s F-16s situational awareness and targeting certainty.
According to the company, LITENING has been continuously upgraded over four generations and has logged more than three million operational flight hours. Northrop Grumman’s methodologies and digital design are aiming to deliver new capabilities to the field rapidly in response to evolving requirements.
Built with a modular design, any LITENING pod is designed to be upgraded to the color configuration. The upgrade also includes the ability to record simultaneous video feeds from all sensors for post-mission analysis, automatic laser code display, and an eye-safe mode that is intended to allow for more realistic training while using the laser.
Northrop Grumman claims that it has delivered more than 900 LITENING pods to the United States and international partner nations. The pod has maintained an availability rate in excess of 95 percent, officials claim.
