Northrop Grumman has received a $71.5 million order from the U.S. Air Force to begin full-rate production of LITENING SE advanced targeting pods and spares for the Advanced Targeting Pod - Sensor Enhancement (ATP-SE) program.

The LITENING SE pylon-mounted targeting pod is capable of producing infrared and visible imagery of both airborne and ground targets, enabling pilots to detect, acquire, auto-track and identify targets for accurate delivery of both conventional and precision-guided weapons.

The pod provides laser ranging and designation to support weapon delivery, navigational functions, and recording and data-linking of generated imagery and data.

"This full-rate production award reflects Northrop Grumman's ongoing leadership and commitment to providing cutting-edge targeting pods with the latest advancements in sensor, laser imaging and data link technology that give our warfighters the advantage they deserve when executing their missions," said Jim Mocarski, vice president of Northrop Grumman's electro-optical/infrared business unit.

Building on the successful LITENING G4, the enhanced LITENING SE includes technologies such as true 1Kx1K forward-looking infrared and charge-coupled device sensors, short-wave infrared laser imaging sensor, color symbology, tracker improvements, enhanced zoom and two-way multiband data link.

These advancements deliver more accurate target identification and location at longer ranges than previous generations of LITENING targeting pod systems while reducing pilot workload.