Northrop Grumman’s LITENING advanced targeting pod has been fielded for the first time with full-colour, digital video capability.
“LITENING’s color video capability gives pilots a clearer picture of the battlespace, making targeting faster and more accurate,” said James Conroy, vice president, navigation, targeting and survivability, Northrop Grumman.
“The LITENING pod can display up to three different views simultaneously, allowing operators to see color and infrared video side by side, and in different fields of view. The result is a clearer view of an area of interest only available when flying with LITENING.”
Northrop Grumman add on their website:
“LITENING has been continuously upgraded over four generations and has logged more than three million operational flight hours. Northrop Grumman’s Agile methodologies and digital design expertise are accelerating the pace of change to deliver new capabilities to the field rapidly in response to evolving requirements.
Built with a modular design, any LITENING pod can 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 allows for more realistic training while using the laser.”
Northrop Grumman has delivered more than 900 LITENING pods to the United States and international partner nations. The firm say that the pod has maintained an availability rate in excess of 95 percent.
To see LITENING colour images and video, visit https://www.northropgrumman.com/litening.
Great – now we can watch apache’s killing anything that moves on youtube, in colour!
I can imagine there are some drawbacks to creating such a vivid image of devastation, not least of all for the person pulling the trigger.
No you can’t because it can’t carry LITENING inside the TADS
Now in Smell-O-Vision!
Nope, none at all.
Will, they still be able to switch over to black and white TV if wanted?
They’ll be able to watch Andy Pandy then!
Yes. B & W is great for contrast. It will be interesting if there is a ‘merged’ view of colour with some aspects of IR ‘washed’ in.
I wonder if this is something that will be included on the Litening 5 pod for Typhoon?
“What we are doing now is getting the feedback from customer and operations teams on how to make that tasking simpler and really increase the cycle time on ops.
We’ve already got Litening 5 pods up in the air as an iteration and we are seeking feedback from 41 Squadron [the test and evaluation squadron], ” he said.
The plan is to get the enhanced capability “out to the front line by the end of next year,” said Flynn.”
https://www.businessinsider.com/british-air-force-sensor-upgrades-typhoon-fighter-jets-2019-8?r=US&IR=T
I’m actually intrigued about how many pods we have, even if for previous generations, in particular what has happened to the Sniper pods bought for Harrier in Afghanistan.
“what has happened to the Sniper pods bought for Harrier in Afghanistan”
Davey B will have the answer to that one!
Or RAPTOR?
Good question?
Good question, I wasn’t aware we had any of the newer Litening pods at all- so I’m glad we do.
Colour may be helpful, but not sure if it’s worth the outlay for us- with so many things to buy and a limited budget?
https://www.defenseworld.net/news/27046/Rafael_to_Provide_Litening_5__RecceLite_Electro_Optical_Pods_to_Mystery_Customer#.YKzCe6gzayI This is Rafael, Israel. Rafael “cooperates with the American Northrop Grumman Corporation in development and marketing