. Military Space News .
Northrop Grumman Awarded Contract For LITENING Advanced Targeting Systems

Northrop Grumman's LITENING AT pod is a self-contained, multi-sensor weapon-aiming system that enables fighter pilots to detect, acquire, auto-track and identify targets for highly accurate delivery of both conventional and precision-guided weapons.
by Staff Writers
Rolling Meadows IL (SPX) Feb 01, 2008
Northrop Grumman has received a contract to deliver LITENING Advanced Targeting (AT) systems to the Finnish Air Force (FiAF) for its F-18 Mid-life Update 2 Program. Under the terms of the $30 million contract, Northrop Grumman's Defensive Systems Division will deliver 10 LITENING AT systems to the FiAF under the U.S. Government Foreign Military Sales program beginning in late 2008 and continuing through 2009.

"With this contract award, Finland joins a growing number of international allies who have procured the LITENING AT system after a comprehensive, in-depth competitive analysis that reviewed applicable targeting pods in use by the U.S. armed forces. We welcome the addition of the FiAF to the expanding global community of LITENING AT users," said Mike Lennon, vice president of Targeting and Surveillance programs for Northrop Grumman's Defensive Systems Division.

"LITENING AT offers advanced technology, unique features, high reliability and proven worldwide support, coupled with a demonstrated ability to easily integrate emerging technologies, all at a very competitive price and delivery schedule."

To date, almost 500 LITENING pods have been ordered by the FiAF, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Netherlands Air Force, Israeli Air Force, and Italian and Spanish Navies. More than 440 systems have been fielded, the largest number of any advanced targeting and sensor system. LITENING AT is combat proven on the AV-8B, A-10, B-52, F-15E, F-16 and F/A-18 aircraft.

Together, all variants of the LITENING pod have amassed more than 780,000 flight hours, with over 380,000 hours logged under deployed or combat conditions.

Northrop Grumman's LITENING AT pod is a self-contained, multi-sensor weapon-aiming system that enables fighter pilots to detect, acquire, auto-track and identify targets for highly accurate delivery of both conventional and precision-guided weapons.

Fully integrated to support both air-to-air and air-to-ground engagements, LITENING AT currently features advanced image processing for target identification; coordinate generation for GPS weapons; a 640 x 512 pixel forward-looking infrared sensor for effective day and night operations; a 1,024 x 1,024 pixel charge-coupled device television sensor; a dual waveband infrared laser designator and eye-safe laser range finder; a laser spot tracker; an infrared laser marker; and optional air-to-ground video data link and digital video recorder.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
The latest in Military Technology for the 21st century at SpaceWar.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


DRS Tech Gets Contract To Supply Marine Corps With Rugged Tablet Computers
Parsippany NJ (SPX) Jul 10, 2007
DRS Technologies has received a $5 million award as part of a previous contract to provide military rugged tablet (MRT) computers and peripheral equipment for the U.S. Marine Corps' Target Location Designation Handoff System (TLDHS) program. DRS received the order from Stauder Technologies in St. Peters, Missouri. For this contract the company's DRS Tactical Systems business unit in Melbourne, Florida, will produce hundreds of the handheld MRT computers and peripheral equipment.







  • Military Matters: Rebuilding states
  • US-China developing better military ties: US admiral
  • India showcases military might
  • Analysis: Taiwan faces better PLA ability

  • NASA Ames Explores Possible Collaboration With South Korea
  • A New Nuclear Weapons Doctrine 2008 Part Two
  • A New Nuclear Weapons Doctrine 2008 Part One
  • Commentary: Talibanization and nukes

  • Boeing Awarded JDAM Production Contract
  • Boeing Awarded Contract For Next-Generation Harpoon Block III Missile
  • Outside View: Pakistan tests its IRBM
  • Taiwan arms warship with supersonic missiles: report

  • Japan boosts missile defences in Tokyo
  • US Navy Test Confirms Missile Firing Capability Of Aegis Open Architecture
  • Northrop Grumman Spehar VP Kinetic Energy Interceptors
  • Japan to boost air defences: report

  • China to build 97 new airports by 2020
  • EADS offers to build military, civilian aircraft in US
  • Qatar Airways looking to natural gas fuel
  • Purdue Wind Tunnel Key For Hypersonic Vehicles And Future Space Planes

  • Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk UAS Surpasses Expectations, Establishes Delivery Record In 2007
  • Iraq War See Widespread Use Of Unmanned Air Vehicles
  • BAE Systems Delivers UAV Target Detection Systems To US Army
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Show Battlefield To Soldiers

  • Swedish airline to resume flights to Iraq
  • Feature: U.S. begins Diyala outreach
  • Democrats want Congress to OK any military agreement with Iraq
  • US not interested in permanent Iraq bases: Gates

  • Lockheed Martin Receives Contract For High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System
  • Israel should limit use of cluster bombs: Lebanon war report
  • Northrop Grumman Awarded Contract For LITENING Advanced Targeting Systems
  • First Military Pilot Flies Lockheed Martin F-35

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement