Rafael says it has been selected to supply the IAF with 164 Litening G4s.

[SQ8]

AFAIK the Thunder does have a Chinese-origin LDP integrated on it, I'm no expert on the JF-17 however, @Oscar, @Aeronaut or @nuclearpak would be better people to ask.


It is likely however that whatever LDP the Thunder has will offer inferior performance to the latest generation Litening (G4), this really is a world-class product and this is evident by the fact even the US uses it.

The US also uses the SNIPER XR. Nice review by a pilot on the two pods.
LITENING AT vs SNIPER XR - F-16 Armament & Stores

having flown with both, sniper is waaaaaaayyyyyyy better. Better range, better a-a capes etc. The only drawback to sniper is that you have to know that you are looking through a "soda straw". I.E if you are right on top of the target and the coordinates are off...you may not see the target in the pod right away. In my humble opinion, litening is better for CAS and sniper is better for AI or A-A.

Must be interesting to see how the new 1k x 1k sensor changes things on the G4

and what about the f-16's?????

Sniper XR

 

[Abingdonboy]

The US also uses the SNIPER XR. Nice review by a pilot on the two pods.
LITENING AT vs SNIPER XR - F-16 Armament & Stores


Must be interesting to see how the new 1k x 1k sensor changes things on the G4

Some fair points. I would just add the LITENING AT is the Generation 2/II, and the performance of the G3 and G4 is going to be substantially improved over their successors.

Must be interesting to see how the new 1k x 1k sensor changes things on the G4

Well indeed but one would assume this would offer improved target detection and recognition ranges under day/night conditions.

@sancho and update to the thread:

Indian Selection of Future Targeting Pod in 2013

 

[SQ8]

Some fair points. I would just add the LITENING AT is the Generation 2/II, and the performance of the G3 and G4 is going to be substantially improved over their successors.

The improvements in litening III were

The new pod uses an advanced thermal sensor, based on a focal-plane array of 640x480 detectors, operating at the medium thermal band (3-5μ). According to Rafael, the image quality of the FLIR is identical to the CCD. The pod process the video signals in digital video format, thus enabling electronic stabilization and image enhancement, resulting in the presentation of a crisp image, even at extended range. Utilization of digital video also enables advanced processing and future enhancements, already planned for future generations. The new pod also employs a more powerful dual-wavelength laser, which enables unrestricted operations from high altitude and long range. It can also be operated in an eyesafe laser mode for training.

A comparative video of Sniper XR .. and the Litening III.. difficult to spot the difference.. except that the SNIPER seems to give a sharper image.

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[Abingdonboy]

The improvements in litening III were



A comparative video of Sniper XR .. and the Litening III.. difficult to spot the difference.. except that the SNIPER seems to give a sharper image.

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Thanks for the info sir! But we are talking about the G4/IV here-which offers the highest resolution of any fielded LDP so the resolution issues you talk of have been rectified.

@Oscar with the RDAF selecting the G4 over the SNIPER after a head-head comparative selection process it says a lot about the G4's performance-wouldn't you agree?

 

[SQ8]

Thanks for the info sir! But we are talking about the G4/IV here-which offers the highest resolution of any fielded LDP so the resolution issues you talk of have been rectified.

@Oscar with the RDAF selecting the G4 over the SNIPER after a head-head comparative selection process it says a lot about the G4's performance-wouldn't you agree?

The G4 has a 1K sensor.. that tops what the SNIPER has.. other than though.. I am not sure of what other refinements top the SNIPER. Since the digital uplink.. FoV, etc is pretty comparable.

 

[GR!FF!N]

@Abingdonboy @Oscar sir,

can you guys present a comparison between Litening G-4 and Thales Damocles???

 

[nomi007]

sniper is better

 

[Lil Mathew]

but they must be using something equivalent of chinese origin??????or dont they???

Chinese WMD7 -Derivative of chinese FILAT,which is a copy of AN/AAQ-14 pod (LANTIRN system).. Source from wiki says it lags behind other targeting pods..

and what about the f-16's?????

Sniper XR

Sniper XR+ALTIS 2... Na?

 

[Abingdonboy]

sniper is better

Nope.........

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

Will these164 Litening G4s be supplied to be integrated in the Tejas as well?

 

[sancho]

@sancho and update to the thread

Yes, especially that they had discussions with Dassault about the integration to Rafale, which confirms by earlier points, that we will take the Litening for the Rafales.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Yes, especially that they had discussions with Dassault about the integration to Rafale, which confirms by earlier points, that we will take the Litening for the Rafales.

Indeed, once Rafael won this competition that must have been mandatory. If the Damocles had won this 164 unit order then obviously there would've been no such talks.

lol, Rafael talking to Dassualt about integration onto the Rafale- for those not paying close attention this will be just a bit confusing

 

[sancho]

Will these164 Litening G4s be supplied to be integrated in the Tejas as well?

LCA has already integrated the Litening 3, so they will use the G4 as well, the question is only how many LDPs IAF wants at the end, since you don't necessarily need a pod on each fighter.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Will these164 Litening G4s be supplied to be integrated in the Tejas as well?

The LCA already has the LITENING Gen III/3 integrated on it so there's little extra work to get the G4 on it. All IAF a/c that require a LDP from now on will get the G4 and that includes the LCA when it enters operational service.

 

[sancho]

Indeed, once Rafael won this competition that must have been mandatory. If the Damocles had won this 164 unit order then obviously there would've been no such talks.

lol, Rafael talking to Dassualt about integration onto the Rafale- for those not paying close attention this will be just a bit confusing

Exactly, IAF will look on commonality between Mirage 2000 and Rafale, so selecting basically will lead to Rafale too (just like the SPICE 2000 most likely), unless the French dramatically increases the integration costs.