Northrop Grumman received a $71.5 million order from the Air Force to begin full-rate production of Litening SE targeting pods and spares, announced the company on Nov. 12. This contract award reflects Northrop Grumman’s “commitment to providing cutting-edge targeting pods” that give aircrews “the advantage they deserve” when executing missions, said Jim Mocarski, vice president of the company’s electro-optical/infrared business unit. Litening SE, which builds upon the company’s Litening G4 pod, has features like enhanced forward-looking infrared sensors, enhanced zoom, and a two-way multiband data link, states the company’s release. It is capable of producing infrared and visible imagery of airborne and ground targets, enabling pilots to detect, acquire, track, and identify targets for accurate delivery of air-delivered munitions. These advancements offer more accurate target identification and location at longer ranges, while reducing pilot workload, according to the company.
The Pentagon’s new counter-drone task force will play a direct role in arming Airmen with new weapons to defend Air Force agile combat employment, or ACE, air bases in austere locations against enemy drone attacks, the director of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 said Oct. 14.
