$27M for LITENING Targeting & Recon Pods

LITENING AT(click to view full) Northrop Grumman Corp. in Rolling Meadows, IL received a $27 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract modification to provide for LITENING advanced airborne targeting and navigation pods for U.S. Navy, Army, and Marine Corps use. Designed to improve both day and night attack capabilities, LITENING pods provide pilots with advanced image processing for target identification and coordinate generation, a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor, charge-coupled device television (CCD-TV) sensors, a laser spot tracker/ range finder, and infrared laser marker/ designators. It is fully operational 24 hours a day and in adverse weather conditions. Solicitation began July 2003, and the Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH issued the contract (FA8607-04-D-2751). DID estimates based on past orders that this procurement probably covers around 8 pods plus support. So, why has the LITENING become the default targeting and surveillance pod for so many air forces around the world? LITENING: Born from a Desert Storm LITENING on AV-8B One of the primary lessons learned from Operation Desert Storm in 1991 was that modern air forces need the ability to operate 24 hours a day in adverse weather conditions and to deliver precision guided weapons. Later operations in Bosnia […]