US Air Force signs $1.84 billion contract with Northrop Grumman for Rafael Litening targeting pods

The U.S. Air Force has secured a significant long-term contract with Northrop Grumman, worth $1.84 billion, for the supply and maintenance of Litening targeting pods. This framework agreement, set to run until 2035, will see the Air Force place individual orders as needed.

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Litening is a targeting pod developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

Litening pods, a product of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, are manufactured in the United States by Northrop Grumman in partnership with the Israeli firm. These devices, resembling missiles and mounted on aircraft, are equipped with advanced sensors and lasers. They enable pilots to precisely locate distant ground targets, day or night and in any weather. Their role has expanded to include the critical task of identifying unmanned aerial vehicles and drones, which can be challenging for onboard radars.

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It is equipped with a camera, additional sensors, and a laser for guiding weapons, allowing pilots and navigators to locate distant ground targets during the day or at night and in all weather conditions.

Ironically, Rafael developed the Litening pod 40 years ago after the U.S. denied Israel access to its own targeting systems. Over generations, Rafael has enhanced the pod's range and resolution. Since 1996, the Pentagon has acquired approximately 900 Litening pods, finding them more cost-effective and capable than the U.S. LANTIRN system. The pods are utilized on a variety of U.S. aircraft, including F-15E, F-16, A-10, F/A-18, Harrier, and even B-52 bombers.

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In recent years, it has also become increasingly important for the equally crucial task of identifying unmanned aerial vehicles and drones, small aircraft that onboard radars sometimes struggle to detect.

While the newer F-35 aircraft feature integrated guidance systems, negating the need for external pods like Litening, the U.S. military's continued reliance on the system for its other fleets ensures its ongoing relevance. Northrop Grumman highlights the system's impressive 95% operational availability rate. The German government also recently purchased €350 million worth of Litening pods for its Typhoon aircraft, underscoring the system's international adoption.

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In an ironic twist, Rafael developed Litening 40 years ago with funding from the Defense Ministry after the US refused to sell the Israeli Air Force its equivalent American system, LANTIRN, long before the era of efforts to achieve greater weapons independence.