Northrop Completes Litening Upgrade: Northrop Grumman has completed integration of new targeting, acquisition, and tracking capabilities into all of the 189 US-fielded Litening targeting pods. The upgrade—Litening Advanced Targeting—is part of a major initiative to equip cutting edge forward-looking infrared radar and image processing capabilities on USAF’s A-10, B-52, F-15E, F-16, and US Navy’s AV-8 and F/A-18.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.