The U.S. Air Force has placed an initial order for Northrop Grumman Corporation’s LITENING advanced targeting pods with full-color digital video capability and two-color laser spot search and track. The human eye can see millions of shades of color, an ability that enables everyday decision-making. In a combat environment, additional information can be critical, shortening the time required to confirm the identity of a target and take action. LITENING’s digital color video, with greater than 1K x 1K resolution, will give warfighters a significantly more detailed understanding of their environment.
LITENING’s color video capability works with the way we naturally see the world to give warfighters in the cockpit and on the ground more complete situational understanding in less time,” said Ryan Tintner, vice president, navigation, targeting and surveillance, Northrop Grumman. “Whether the mission is close air support, surveillance, search and rescue or training, LITENING’s latest upgrade will help ensure that warfighters don’t miss a thing.”
Built with a modular design, any LITENING pod can be upgraded to the color configuration. This upgrade also includes the ability to record simultaneous video feeds from all sensors for post-mission analysis, automatic laser code display and an eye-safe mode that allows for more realistic training while using the laser. Northrop Grumman has delivered nearly 900 LITENING pods to U.S. and international customers. The pods have achieved more than one million combat hours.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company. Northrop Grumman currently leads the development of the B-21 Raider, a long-range, stealth strategic bomber that can drop conventional and nuclear weapons; it will replace Northrop’s own B-2 Spirit, the world’s only known stealth bomber. It is also the sole bidder on the Air Force’s Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program, which aims to develop and build a new intercontinental ballistic missile. Northrop Grumman is made up of four main business sectors: Aeronautics Systems, Defense Systems, Mission Systems and Space Systems.
