Air National Guard Successfully Flight Tests Lockheed Martin's SpectIR Pod

The Air National Guard (ANG) has successfully live fire flight tested Lockheed Martin's SpectIR transportable infrared search and track (IRST) pod which it recently acquired. The SpectIR pod successfully acquired the target on the first pass and maintained a tight track throughout the engagement, providing the pilot with a passive, weapons-quality cue that enabled weapon employment. "As part of a risk reduction effort for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and ANG programs, this test demonstrated the SpectIR IRST system's ability to provide warfighters with increased situational awareness, survivability and target engagement in stressing electronic attack environments," said Paul Hey, SpectIR senior program manager in Lockheed Martin's Missiles and Fire Control business. The SpectIR IRST system is planned across numerous platforms. For the U.S. Navy F/A-18 E/F, the SpectIR sensor is mounted in the centerline fuel tank. The transportable pod format provides plug-and-play use for the F-15, F-16 and other platforms.