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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders   030328-F-JZ000-055.JPG030328-F-JZ000-055
                
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        SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Lt. Col. Phil Guy prepares to take off in an F-16 Fighting Falcon.  The aircraft is loaded with two AIM-9 missiles and CBU-12 bombs with a Litening II targeting pod to get the precision-guided munitions to the intended target.  Guy is assigned to the 149th Fighter Squadron at Richmond, Va.  (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)Fire power
                        
                        
                        SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Lt. Col. Phil Guy prepares to take off in an F-16 Fighting Falcon.  The aircraft is loaded with two AIM-9 missiles and CBU-12 bombs with a Litening II targeting pod to get the precision-guided munitions to the intended target.  Guy is assigned to the 149th Fighter Squadron at Richmond, Va.  (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)
                
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        SOUTHWEST ASIA -- A-10 Thunderbolt IIs fly over the desert with LITENING, a precision targeting pod system. The pod, externally mounted to the aircraft, is equipped with a laser designator for precise delivery of laser-guided munitions and a laser rangefinder that provides information for various avionics systems.  (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Mark Bucher)Thunderbolt pair
                        
                        
                        SOUTHWEST ASIA -- A-10 Thunderbolt IIs fly over the desert with LITENING, a precision targeting pod system. The pod, externally mounted to the aircraft, is equipped with a laser designator for precise delivery of laser-guided munitions and a laser rangefinder that provides information for various avionics systems.  (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Mark Bucher)
                
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 LITENING ADVANCE TARGETING**Mission**
LITENING Advanced Targeting, or AT, is a precision targeting pod system operational with a wide variety of combat air forces aircraft (A-10A/C, B-52H, F-15E and F-16 Blocks 25-52) as well as aircraft operated by other services and allies (AV-8B, EA-6B, F-16 Block 15 and F/A-18). The system's advanced targeting and image processing techology significantly increases the combat effectiveness of the aircraft during day, night and under-the-weather conditions in the attack of ground targets with a variety of standoff weapons (i.e., laser-guided bombs, conventional bombs and GPS-guided weapons).**Features**
Mounted externally,  LITENING AT is a targeting pod integrated with the aircraft. The targeting pod contains a high-resolution, mid-wave third generation, forward-looking infrared sensor, or FLIR, that displays an infrared image of the target to the aircrew.  It has a wide field of view search capability and a narrow field of view acquisition/targeting capability of battlefield-sized targets. The pod contains a charged coupled device or CCD-TV, camera used to obtain target imagery in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. An on-gimbal inertial navigation sensor has established line-of-sight and automatic boresighting capability.
The system incorporates a mult-spectral capability with a high resolution, mid-wave, third-generation FLIR and CCD-TV.  The pod is equipped with a laser designator for precise delivery of laser-guided munitions and a laser rangefinder for precise target coordinates. For target coordination with ground and air forces, a laser spot tracker, a laser marker, and a fully operational remotely operated video enhanced receiver, or ROVER, compatible video down link improves rapid target detection/ identification.
For ease of maintenance, LITENING AT's modularity, optimal hardware partitioning, and diagnostic capabilities permit true two-level maintenance, eliminating intermediate-level support. Automated built-in test permits a flightline maintainer to isolate and replace a line replaceable unit, or LRU, in under 20 minutes to get the pod back up to full mission capable status. Spares are ordered through a user-friendly website offering in-transit visibility to parts shipment.  **Background**
LITENING I was developed for the Israeli air force at Rafael Corporation's Missiles Division in Haifa, Israel. In 1995 Northrop Grumman Corporation's teamed with the company for further development. 
LITENING II was initially fielded with Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command F-16s in 1999 and employed a "256" FLIR. This was subsequently enhanced to the LITENING Enhanced Range, or ER, configuration by the incorporation of a third-generation "512" FLIR. Subsequent image processing enhancements led to the AT configuration that is now the standard for U.S. forces which began fielding in 2003. **General Characteristics
Primary function:**  Infrared/electro-optical targeting; non-traditional intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance**Prime Contractor:** Northrop Grumman Corporation **Length:** 87 inches (2.20 meters)**Diameter:** 16 inches (0.406 meters)**Weight:** 440 pounds (200 kilograms)**Aircraft:** A-10A/A+/C, B-52H, F-15E, F-16 Block 25/30/32/40/42/50/52**Sensors:** Infrared detector, CCD-TV camera, laser rangefinder and laser designator**Date Deployed:** February 2000**Unit Cost:** $1.4 million
(Current as of August 2015)
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        Aircraft
        AC-130J Ghostrider
                    
                    AC-130J Ghostrider
                
                AC-130W Stinger II
                    
                    AC-130W Stinger II
                
                C-32
                    
                    C-32
                
                CV22
                    
                    CV-22 Osprey
                
                C-40C
                    
                    C-40B/C
                
                A U.S. Air Force C-37 taxis after landing
                    
                    C-37A/B
                
                C-130 Hercules
                    
                    C-130 Hercules
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    Major Commands
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                    Air Force Special Operations Command
                
                Air Force Global Strike Command Rotator
                    
                    Air Force Global Strike Command
                
                Air Combat Command Rotator
                    
                    Air Combat Command
                
                Air Force Materiel Command Rotator
                    
                    Air Force Materiel Command
                
                Air Education and Training Command Rotator
                    
                    Air Education and Training Command
                
                Air Mobility Command Rotator
                    
                    Air Mobility Command
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    Weapons
        The Air Force Distributed Common Ground System (AF DCGS), also referred to as the AN/GSQ-272 SENTINEL weapon system, is the Air Force’s primary intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) collection, processing, exploitation, analysis and dissemination (CPAD) system. 
(U.S. Air Force photo)
                    
                    Air Force Distributed Common Ground System
                
                LGM-30G Minuteman III
                    
                    LGM-30G Minuteman III
                
                Sniper Pod
                    
                    Sniper Pod
                
                LITENING ADVANCE TARGETING
                    
                    LITENING ADVANCE TARGETING
                
                Guardian Angel
                
                Massive Ordnance Penetrator
                
                The AN/ASQ-236 Radar Pod contains synthetic aperture radar that provides detailed maps for surveillance, coordinate generation and bomb impact assessment purposes.  It will be operational on the F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo)
                    
                    AN/ASQ-236 Radar Pod
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