Operational test personnel from the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center, a tenant unit on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, conducted a ground test on a new visual display system for the A-10C Thunderbolt II, April 14, 2021. The LITENING Digital Port Plug-n-Play III+ allows the pilot to see a high-definition picture of multiple targeting pod sensors simultaneously on a tablet inside the A-10. The A-10 has used the LITENING targeting pod for about 20 years using a standard definition video feed that shows one sensor at a time.
The AATC is the only Air Reserve Component Operational Test Organization that tests new capabilities for Air Force aircraft. Though they do not fall under the 355th Wing’s command, they often play a crucial role in implementing modernization efforts on both the reserve component and active duty aircraft on Davis-Monthan and Air Force wide. For now the PnP3+ is a temporary answer to the requirement to display HD targeting pod video inside the A-10’s cockpit. This is a short term solution while waiting for the A-10’s new High Resolution Display System.
Total force partnerships like these allow AATC and Davis-Monthan to accomplish various mission sets with ease. The interoperability of guard, reserve and active duty forces enables the Air Force to remain unmatched in its response to warfighter requirements, and allows new to the aircraft the total force employs. The ever-changing global climate of conflict requires the Air Force to adapt and deploy ready, anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice. The 355th Wing remains on the leading edge of this charge by providing its units an environment to continue their efforts in improving a more lethal force.
