Derrick Henry
The U.S. Marine Corps has selected Northrop Grumman to modernize the F/A-18 aircraft’s LITENING targeting pods.
Under the collaboration, the advanced tactical data links will be deployed to enable faster communications for the combat plane, Northrop said Thursday. The technology employs the bandwidth-efficient common data link waveform to support rapid and secure data transmission.
Enabling Faster Decision-Making
LITENING features high-definition sensors to collect important information and allow quick decision-making, James Conroy, vice president of navigation, targeting and survivability at Northrop, explained. “The ATDL enhancement is like upgrading to better Wi-Fi by building on LITENING’s already proven data links, making live feeds immediately available on the ground – a critical capability in our modern environment,” he added.
Secure Data Transmission
ATDL uses a multi-band connection for transmitting video, still images and metadata to enhance mission precision. The secure data link, boosted by a new processor, software-defined radio, wideband antenna and advanced data recorder, will enable air and ground operators to view the same live video feed simultaneously.
Meanwhile, Northrop’s LITENING is an electro-optical/infrared targeting pod that detects and identifies targets at extended ranges. Currently used by U.S. and international customers, the LITENING pod supports various mission objectives and features a modular design to readily absorb future upgrades.
