Rafael to supply Litening 5 and RecceLite for M-346FA aircraft
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems announced on 6 May that it is supplying fifth-generation Litening-5 and RecceLite systems for Leonardo’s M-346FA light combat aircraft (pictured).
It will be the first integration of fifth-generation EO pods with the aircraft.
Guy Oren, VP and Head of EO systems at Rafael, said: ‘This new co-operation with Leonardo opens new markets to integrate our advanced systems to additional light, cost-effective platforms, based on our vast experience and integration legacy in all domains.’
The Litening 5 multi-spectral airborne pod provides real-time, FLIR and SWIR and daytime HD camera imagery. It is in use by 25 different air forces globally on at least 25 various platforms. It enables the use of laser-guided, GPS-guided and EO/IR imaging-guided munitions and air-to-surface smart weaponry.
RecceLite, on the other hand, uses advanced ISR, image processing and AI to achieve optimal data-exploitation at the ground station and produces real-time relay with mission execution in near-real-time.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
Will fresh FCAS talks resolve political turmoil?
German, French and Spanish leadership set an end-of-year deadline to decide the fate of the Future Combat Air System programme which has struggled with a political stalemate for the latter half of 2025.
-
Germany acquires additional 20 H145M helicopters
The order for the extra helicopters comes from an agreement penned in December 2023, with the German Army receiving the bulk of the platforms.
-
Anduril UK and GKN Aerospace collaborate on British Army ACP bid
The pair will submit their demonstrator concept for Project Nyx, a development project for the British Army’s Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform.
-
US Army command’s Picatinny CLIK common lethal drone interface makes progress
The Picatinny Common Lethality Integration Kit is designed to overcome the issue of unique integration methods between lethal payloads and drones as well as avoiding problematic acquisition conditions created by vendor lock.
-
Australia invests extra A$1.4 billion in MQ-28A Ghost Bat after successful missile fire test
The investment includes new contracts for six MQ-28A Ghost Bat aircraft, as well as provisional funds to invest in the development of a Block 3 prototype.
-
US approves potential $4.7 billion missile and air defence system sales to Denmark and Italy
Italy could field the JASSM-ER for its combat aircraft including the F-35, while Denmark has been approved for AMRAAM and an Integrated Battle Command system procurement.