WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio, 22 March 2006. U.S. Air Force officials are looking to the Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Rolling Meadows, Ill., to provide the AN/AAQ-28 Litening advanced airborne targeting and navigation pod.
The Litening pod combines infrared sensor, visible-light camera, laser designator, and strapdown navigation system to enable combat aircraft pilots to drop bombs accurately during the day, at night, or in bad weather.
Northrop Grumman is building the Litening pods, as well as providing upgrades and training, under terms of a $275 million contract awarded March 20 from the Air Force Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The contract number is FA8607-04-D-2751.
The pods are for the F-16 and F-15 jet fighters, the A-10 close-air-support aircraft, and the B-52 bomber. In addition to the Air Force, the U.S. Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Command, and Marine Corps are using Litening.
Northrop Grumman partners with RAFAEL of Israel to produce these systems, which combine forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor, charge-coupled device (CCD) camera, laser designator and rangefinder, laser spot designator, and strap-down navigation system.
The system enables aircraft pilots to detect and laser-designate surface targets, drop laser-guided bombs accurately, fly at night at low altitudes, detect laser spots, and identify aerial targets.
For more information contact Northrop Grumman online at www.northropgrumman.com.
