Northrop Begins Full-Rate Production of LITENING SE Targeting Pods for U.S. Air Force

Northrop Grumman has received a $71.5 million order from the U.S. Air Force to begin full-rate production of LITENING SE advanced targeting ...

Northrop Grumman has received a $71.5 million order from the U.S. Air Force to begin full-rate production of LITENING SE advanced targeting pods and spares for the Advanced Targeting Pod – Sensor Enhancement (ATP-SE) program.

The LITENING SE pylon-mounted targeting pod is capable of producing infrared and visible imagery of both airborne and ground targets, enabling pilots to detect, acquire, auto-track and identify targets for accurate delivery of both conventional and precision-guided weapons. The pod provides laser ranging and designation to support weapon delivery, navigational functions, and recording and data-linking of generated imagery and data.
Building on the successful LITENING G4, the enhanced LITENING SE includes technologies such as true 1Kx1K forward-looking infrared and charge-coupled device sensors, short-wave infrared laser imaging sensor, color symbology, tracker improvements, enhanced zoom and two-way multiband data link. These advancements deliver more accurate target identification and location at longer ranges than previous generations of LITENING targeting pod systems while reducing pilot workload.