ORLANDO, Fla., July 26 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin's Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod is now the only targeting pod operational on all U.S. Air Force fighters and bombers.
The status was achieved when it gained operational flight status recently on a B-52 bomber at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
"Achieving operational flight status of the Sniper ATP on the B-52 delivers the pod's flexibility and advanced capabilities to additional warfighters," said Ken Fuhr, director of fixed wing programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "Sniper integration will provide aircrews with critical long-range, positive target identification and video datalink capability, along with an updated software suite that streamlines the targeting process and improves crew safety."
Lockheed's Sniper ATP, with a high-resolution imagery capability, detects, identifies, automatically tracks and laser designates small tactical targets at long ranges. It also supports the use of laser- and GPS-guided weapons against multiple fixed and moving targets.
With the system's video datalink, real-time video can be transmitted to ground troops for enhanced situational awareness and target coordination, the company said.
