USA company to upgrade PAF’s F16 aircraft with Sniper technology

[Saifullah Sani]

Lockheed Martin has received a follow-on contract to produce and upgrade Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATPs) for the Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 fleet. The contract includes the production of 15 Sniper ATPs and upgrades to the Pakistan Air Force’s existing 22 Sniper ATPs. The upgrades will increase compatibility with the aircraft and enable enhanced features.
Lockheed Martin, headquartered in Maryland, USA, is an aerospace, defense, and security company. It is actively engaged in the research, design, development and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services.

See Also: Pakistani Aircraft gets several export orders at Paris Air Show 2015​

“Sniper ATP has supported the Pakistan Air Force’s mission since 2010,” said Rich Lovette, Sniper International Program director at Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control. “Additional Sniper ATPs and upgrades will give the Pakistan Air Force a more robust precision targeting capability to support the nation’s security requirements.”
Sniper is the most widely deployed targeting system for fixed-wing aircraft and is in use by more than 16 international air forces. The Sniper ATP provides pilots with high-resolution imagery for precision targeting, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. They detect, identify, automatically track and laser-designate small tactical targets at long ranges. Sniper is designed for current and future aircraft with the electro-optical targeting system in a single, lightweight pod. It is currently operational on the F-15, F-16, F-18, B-1, B-52 and A-10.
To meet the PAF’s urgent operational need, pod deliveries will begin later this year.
USA company to upgrade PAF's F16 aircraft with Sniper technology

 

[AMDR]

IRST Air-to-Air as well as Air-to-Ground, as shown below.

Bottom Right of the intake on almost every picture

 

[Foxtrot-Bravo]

This will surely be a massive upgrade.

 

[Hurter]

Why don't we get block 60/62?

 

[Bratva]

Sharing live feed of Sniper with Ground control and field commanders might be one of the upgrades included in this iteration. PAF was interested in datalinking C-130 live feeds with ground control and field commander but project got cold feet. Perhaps this time, it will be actually done

 

[The Vicious Kind]

Well aren't the 41 so MLUs we have, already equipped with the Sniper Pods ? Or are these for the ex Jordanians ones ?

 

[Bratva]

Pakistan Expands Lockheed Martin Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod Fleet
Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) for the Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 fleet. The contract includes the production of 15 Sniper ATPs and upgrades to the Pakistan Air Force’s existing 22 Sniper ATPs.

To meet the Pakistan Air Force’s urgent operational need, pod deliveries will begin in late 2015. Upgrades, which will increase compatibility with the aircraft and enable enhanced features, will also begin in late 2015.

“Sniper ATP has supported the Pakistan Air Force’s mission since 2010,” said Rich Lovette, Sniper international program director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “Additional Sniper ATPs and upgrades will give the Pakistan Air Force a more robust precision targeting capability to support the nation’s security requirements.”

News Releases · Lockheed Martin

ORLANDO, Fla., March 17, 2014 – The U.S. Air Force declared initial operational capability (IOC) for Lockheed Martin’s [NYSE: LMT] Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod - Sensor Enhancement (ATP-SE) and has now deployed the system to support combat operations in theater.

An enhanced configuration of Sniper ATP, Sniper ATP-SE provides U.S. Air Force strike fighter and bomber aircraft with advanced modes for non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; improved combat identification; expanded air-to-air and maritime capability; and two-way data link communication. Lockheed Martin won the U.S. Air Force’s ATP-SE competition in 2010.

Sniper ATP-SE is also equipped with Net-T capability, which enables a point-to-multipoint networking architecture. When used with other platforms, it gives operators and analysts access to real-time data beyond their line of sight. B-1 bombers at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, were the first operational aircraft to deploy with Sniper ATP-SE.

U.S. Air Force Declares Initial Operational Capability for Lockheed Martin’s Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod – Sensor Enhancement · Lockheed Martin

Key changes to the ATP-SE competition’s Sniper pods include new sensors (1k FLIR, HDTV), an evolution of the 2-way Compact Multi-Band Datalink (CMDL) that’s compatible with ROVER 3-5 per USAF requirements, and “automated capabilities” (all they’re allowed to say) to help the pilot perform ISR missions with less workload. Under the USAF’s NET-T Quick Reaction Capability contract, a point-to-multipoint data link architecture can provide an extended range “beyond line-of-sight” capability with the right positioning or infrastructure.

ATP-SE: LITENING Targeting Pods Now Feature ‘Gen-5′ | Tactical Mashup

 

[dexter]

Lockheed Martin' Sniper pod is the most widely deployed targeting system for fixed-wing aircraft in use by the U.S. Air Force, and is the targeting system of choice for 16 international air forces. With a possible US Navy requirement in the near future for next-generation target pods, Lockheed Martin feels it has the right system to answer current and future needs.

 

[Blue Marlin]

Lockheed Martin has secured a follow-on foreign military sale contract to manufacture and upgrade Sniper advanced targeting pods (ATP) for the Pakistan Air Force's F-16 fleet.

Under the contract, the company will produce 15 Sniper ATPs and upgrade the Pakistan Air Force's existing 22 Sniper ATPs.

The upgrades will increase compatibility with the aircraft and enable enhanced features.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control Sniper international programme director Rich Lovette said: "Sniper ATP has supported the Pakistan Air Force's mission since 2010.

"Additional Sniper ATPs and upgrades will give the Pakistan Air Force a more robust precision targeting capability to support the nation's security requirements."
The delivery of pods is expected to start later this year, while the upgrades are also scheduled to start at the same time.
The Sniper ATP has been designed to provide pilots with high-resolution imagery for precision targeting and non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Also offered by the solution is positive target identification, autonomous tracking, coordinate generation, precise weapons guidance and non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (NTISR) in all weather conditions.

Moreover, it will support employment of laser- and GPS-guided weapons against multiple fixed and moving targets.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Just 15 is not sufficient , if it was like 100 Additional pods now that was something

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

I hope the sniper pod does not do this

Due to accidental feature

 

[Sulman Badshah]

Just 15 is not sufficient , if it was like 100 Additional pods now that was something

we had 22 and now 15 are additional will make it to 37 pod fleet

 

[nana41]

Why don't we get block 60/62?

They don't have the money.Empty your piggy bank and help.

 

[The Vicious Kind]

These 15 new ones are probably for the ex Jordanians Blk15s ,Since the 41 MLUs already received the Sniper targeting pod and the Blk52 already had them.

Details on MLU upgrades from IHS janes 360
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
According to a 2008 congressional statement by Vice Admiral Jeffrey Wieringa, then director of the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the upgrade involved "Falcon STAR structural upgrade kits ... and MLU avionics upgrade kits".
VAdm Wieringa described this upgrade as "very similar to that provided to other F-16A/B customers" and as replacing "critical structural components in the F-16 required to return the A/B airframe to a structural life of 8,000 spectrum hours", while the "MLU avionics upgrade kits are being designed to provide the Pakistan Block 15A/B aircraft with many of the same capabilities as the new Block 52 F-16s that the PAF is procuring".

According to his statement, the MLU upgrade kits included: Northrop Grumman APG-68(V)9 radars; Embedded GPS/INS (EGI); Link 16 datalink; APX-113 Advanced Identify Friend or Foe (AIFF); Color Cockpit with Color Moving Map; ALQ- 211(V)9 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) pod; Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS) Cockpit and External Lighting; Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod; Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS); reconnaissance pod capability; improved avionics systems; JDAM capability; EGBU capability; AIM-120 AMRAAM capability; and AGM-84 Harpoon capability.

TAI completes Pakistan F-16 fleet mid-life upgrade - IHS Jane's 360

 

[rockstar08]

@Bratva @Windjammer , what are these pods ? and what are their use ??
can you guys explain in simple words ?