U.S. military orders targeting pods

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ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., May 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Air National Guard are to receive Northrop Grumman LITENING G4 targeting pods and upgrade kits under a $103 million contract.

The contract was issued by the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command.

"This order represents the latest vote of confidence from our users that G4's cutting edge technology supports their most demanding combat missions," said Jim Mocarski, Northrop Grumman's vice president of EO/IR targeting systems. "LITENING's achievement of 1.5 million flight hours is a testament to its reliability, flexible upgrade path and adaptability to multiple missions."

The LITENING G4 Advanced Targeting Pod features a full 1Kx1K forward-looking infrared and charge-coupled device, short-wave infrared laser imaging sensors, color symbology, tracker improvement and enhanced zoom capability for enhanced target identification and location at extended ranges.

The pods themselves will be supplied to the Marine Corps while the Air National Guard will receive LITENING G4 upgrade kits and spares to modernize their Block 1 targeting pods.