Northrop Grumman’s AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening multi-sensor pod recently reached two million hours, according to a Feb. 24 company release. The self-contained Litening pod allows pilots to “detect, acquire, auto-track, and identify targets” for accurate delivery of conventional and precision-guided weapons. “This is a significant milestone for the Litening program and our team is proud to be part of that success,” said David McCain, Air Force Litening program manager. More than 770,000 of Litening’s two million flight hours were flown in combat conditions and the system maintains a 98-percent availability rate, states the release. “Litening’s two million hours are a testament to both the effectiveness and the reliability of the system,” said Jim Mocarski, vice president of Northrop’s airborne tactical sensors business unit. The company has delivered more than 700 Litening pods to all three components of the Air Force, as well as the Marine Corps and eight international customers, states the release.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…
