Kacey Roberts
U.S. Navy pilots have tested a Northrop Grumman-built targeting system while operating an F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft.
The initial flight demonstration of the multisensor Litening pod showcased the system’s surveillance and autonomous target tracking functions, Northrop said Wednesday.
Super Hornet aircrew used the pod training laser mode and completed various tasks such as identifying ground moving targets during their flight.
“The pod’s digital video, autonomous target tracking, and laser sensors will give Naval aviators an entirely new set of capabilities for operations over land and sea today,” said James Conroy, vice president of navigation, targeting and survivability at Northrop.
Earlier this year, the service branch decided to replace legacy F/A-18 targeting pods with the Litening system.
