Malaysia gets go-ahead for Lockheed targeting pods

The US has approved a possible $US80 million FMS to Malaysia for Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) and related equipment. The Government of Malaysia has requested to buy 10 AN/AAQ-33 Sniper ATPs.

The proposed sale will improve Malaysia’s capability to meet current and future threats by modernising its current F/A-18D platform with a common targeting pod, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency noted in a statement.

This proposed sale will also mitigate future obsolescence concerns and allow the Royal Malaysian Air Force to meet future operational requirements, the US government body added.

The FMS would also include technical data and publications, personnel training, software and training equipment, US Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services and other related elements of logistics and programme support.

The principal contractors will be Lockheed Martin and Boeing, but implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional US government or contractor representatives to Malaysia.

Sniper ATP is an electro-optical targeting system housed in a single, lightweight pod. 

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Sniper ATP-SE