Northrop Grumman has just received another contract from the Air National Guard and Marine Corps for additional LITENING G4 targeting and senor pods, pushing the company’s order book over 500 pods, according to a March 26 company release. “With 534 total pods fielded or on order, LITENING has become the pod of choice for both US and coalition forces,” said Mike Lennon, Northrop’s vice president of Targeting and Surveillance programs. LITENING pods have been key to improved target recognition in Southwest Asia operations, including striking key al Qaeda figures. Last fall, the Air Guard, Air Force Reserve Command, and Marine Corps signed on for the next generation version, LITENING Gen 4.
General Atomics, the maker of one of the Air Force’s first Collaborative Combat Aircraft, has ambitious plans for its family of semi-autonomous drones beyond the FQ-42, including a flying-wing aircraft capable of carrying out both reconnaissance and strike missions. Meanwhile, the Air Force Research Laboratory announced a new program to…