Lockheed Martin to supply Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods to Iraq in $31.9 million contract

ROBINS AFB, Ga., 4 Dec. 2012. U.S. Air Force air combat experts are asking engineers at the Lockheed Martin Corp. Missiles and Fire Control segment in Orlando, Fla., to build Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods for the Iraqi air force under terms of a $31.9 million contract announced late last week.

The Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod provides precision targeting and situational awareness to combat aircraft crews, and is the most widely deployed targeting system for fixed-wing aircraft in use by the U.S. Air Force U.S. allies, Lockheed Martin officials say.

The pod provides precision strike, as well as non-traditional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (NTISR) for close air support of ground forces. The pod has electro-optical imagery capability, a video datalink, and J-series coordinates.

The pod has image processing algorithms, stabilization, high-resolution, mid-wave forward-looking infrared (FLIR) and daylight TV sensors, dual-mode laser for geo-location, laser spot tracker, infrared marker, meta-data for video, and common software and hardware interfaces.

The pod has been flown on U.S. Air Force and international F-15E, F-16 (all blocks), B-1, A-10C, Harrier GR7/9, and CF-18 combat aircraft, and is ready for integration on the B-52 strategic bomber.

Lockheed Martin will work on the contract in Orlando, Fla., and should be finished by July 2015. Awarding the contract were officials of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.

For more information contact Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control online at www.lockheedmartin.com, or the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at www.robins.af.mil/units/aflcmc.