USAF Awards Northrop Grumman LITENING SE Pods Contract

Northrop Grumman Corporation has won two follow-on contracts worth $66 million to provide additional LITENING SE advanced targeting pods for the U.S. Air Force. The LITENING SE recently completed an extensive flight test program on the F-16 Block 40/50 and A-10C aircraft. Part of an original seven-year (5-year base with two 1-year options), $920 million, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract granted to Northrop Grumman in 2010, representing a continuation of the LRIP program. LITENING SE delivers the latest advancements in sensor, laser imaging and data link technology. Technologies include full 1Kx1K Forward Looking Infrared, 1Kx1K charge-coupled device and short wave infrared sensors, color symbols, tracker improvement, enhanced zoom, and two-way multi-band data link. These advancements deliver more accurate target identification and location at longer ranges than currently deployed systems while reducing pilot workload.