Collins Aerospace completes first flight of MS-110 airborne reconnaissance pod
The Collins Aerospace MS-110 reconnaissance pod has been successfully flight tested on an F-16. (Photo: Collins Aerospace)
Collins Aerospace has conducted the first flight test of its new MS-110 Multispectral Airborne Reconnaissance system on an F-16 fighter jet for an undisclosed international buyer.
The flight test by Collins Aerospace demonstrated aircraft integration, flight worthiness, and full-system performance within the confines of a tactical jet's flight envelope.
The Raytheon Technologies business said MS-110 'greatly enhances airborne reconnaissance mission capabilities', offering longer range and a wider surveillance area in contested and peacetime scenarios against both peer and near-peer adversaries.
Advanced imagery and multispectral capabilities allowed for detecting targets with high confidence even when in poor weather and atmospheric conditions.
The collected information can be disseminated via high-bandwidth data link and the company's ground intelligence-sharing architecture.
Collins Aerospace Airborne ISR Solutions director and general manager Lora Magliocco said the trial demonstrated the readiness of MS-110 to support global customers.
Shephard Defence Insight notes that the MS-110 will integrate with the existing DB-110 pod's reconnaissance architecture and can equip fast jets (F-16, F-15, F/A-18, Typhoon, Rafale), manned ISR aircraft and MALE UAVs such as the MQ-9 Reaper.
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