Lockheed Martin's Sniper pod is majority winner for Advanced Targeting Pod-Sensor Enhancement contract
The US Air Force selected Lockheed Martin as the winner of the 60 percent share of the Advanced Targeting Pod-Sensor Enhancement (ATP-SE) competition. Lockheed Martin's Sniper pod offering was determined to be the best overall value to the US Government.
Under the terms of this contract, the Government has options to buy up to 670 pods through 2017. If all options are exercised, Lockheed Martin's share of the program will total more than $1 billion. The initial contract value is $23.5 million, which will provide pods for the Government's test program.
"Lockheed Martin is proud to remain the US Air Force's targeting pod of choice, and we look forward to fielding Sniper in the ATP-SE configuration to provide even greater capability to the Warfighter," said Tom Simmons, vice president of Fire Control at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
With new enhanced sensors for combat identification and a two-way datalink, Sniper expands non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and net-centric capabilities.
Sniper offers an affordable road map for modernizing and enhancing precision targeting capabilities for US Air Force and coalition partner F-15, F-16, A-10, B-1 and B-52 aircraft. The Sniper pod's hardware and software configuration provides continued "plug-and-play" flexibility across services and multiple platforms. The Sensor Enhancement configuration is a field-level upgrade to existing pods.
Source: Lockheed Martin
More from Defence Notes
-
How UAE defence giant EDGE Group plans to double its exports
The UAE defence conglomerate has put an aggressive strategy in place to increase its share of exports while navigating the growing gap between East and West.
-
US lawmakers warn that “more military spending is absolutely necessary” to ensure Pentagon’s readiness
The US Congress has raised concerns about how inflation rates and cuts in main acquisition programmes could affect the US military.
-
Can the US overcome Russian and Chinese nuclear capabilities?
Washington’s ageing inventory and the pace Moscow and Beijing have been modernising their capabilities put in check the US Nuclear deterrence.
-
US FY2024 funding package passes as China closes military capability gap
The Pentagon has been operating under temporary funding since October 2023, which has impacted its main acquisition and development programmes, increasing the capability gap between the US and China.
-
NATO outlines future challenges as Ukrainian funding from US stalls
In 2023, defence spending increased by an unprecedented 11% across European NATO countries and Canada. Since 2014, the group has spent an additional US$600 billion on defence.
-
US Pentagon to reduce investments in main acquisition programmes over FY2025
The DoD requested nearly US$850 billion to fund operations over the next fiscal year. Despite the amount being 1% higher than the FY2024 budget request, it has not covered the 3% inflation rate, which could impact the DoD’s main programmes in the medium and long term.