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2021-02-23

Lockheed Martin Sniper Providing Precision to Fighters

Lockheed Martin Sniper ATP provides pilots with high-resolution imagery for precision targeting in non-traditional missions. It detects, identifies, automatically tracks and laser-designates small tactical targets at long ranges and supports the employment of laser- and GPS-guided weapons against multiple fixed and moving targets. In an interview with Nation Shield at IDEX, Darrell R. Seale, Vice President UAE Initiatives, shared Sniper’s continuous success in the region.

“Sniper ATP is the most widely deployed targeting pod in combat today, integrated into 15 platforms including F-16, UK Harrier, Typhoon, Rafale, Mirage etc., and used by more than 27 customers worldwide. It is a great achievement for us to have a product that can easily go from platform to platform.

“In the UAE, most recently, we have been working with Dassault to integrate on to MIRAGE-2000, which is exciting for us. We have already been on F-16 for a while now and looking to potentially expanding on other aircraft and UAVs,” said Seale.

Highlighting the ISR capabilities of the Sniper pod, Seale said: “Sniper’s ISR capabilities allows it to take pictures and videos autonomously, which can be pre-programmed. This reduces the pilot workload and provides a wealth of Recon Data – another feature that many of our customers appreciate.”

Sniper ATP completes the most challenging precision targeting and non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions in air-to-ground, maritime and air-to-air environments. It provides ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) capabilities without adding additional workload to the aircrew; available through pre-mission planning or cockpit selectable. This multi-mission benefit eliminates the need to carry single-mission reconnaissance pods or dedicated aircraft assets.

“Our customer and platform growth for Sniper continues as most recently evidenced by test and integration efforts on the F/A-50, F-18 Super Hornet and Mirage. It has an ongoing product improvement programme. The Sniper offers to add more capability. We can customise the data capability according to the aircraft.

“What we have seen is that the pod has capabilities that you cannot access in the aircraft itself, but one can access it post-flight. It is very future-ready and highly customisable,” Seale adds.

The Sniper ATP has an ongoing product improvement programme, which functions as a roadmap to enhance Sniper ATP’s capabilities. Under this programme, Lockheed Martin is pursuing enhancements, including a digital interface and extended-range combat identification. The Sniper ATP’s modular design and 42 Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) enable rapid flight time maintenance while the pod remains on the aircraft.

Recently, Lockheed Martin in partnership with Korean Air Industries, LTD., successfully completed ground and flight testing that clears the way for F/A-50 airworthiness certification.

Visit Lockheed Martin at 01-A11

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