Harrier, Litening II Pod testing success

March 28, 2001

Submitted by TEAM Public Affairs, Headquarters

The AV-8B Harrier's war fighting capabilities got a big boost reaching a significant milestone with the completion of integration testing of the Litening II Targeting Pod into the aircraft's systems.

The Litening II Pod will give the Harrier, for the first time, the capability to autonomously deliver precision guided munitions, such as laser guided bombs and missiles, as well as enhanced day and night target acquisition and improved low-level night flight capabilities. As long time international partners in the AV-8B Joint Program Office, both the Italian and Spanish Navies have joined this development effort.

"Our job is to keep the Harrier's warfighting capabilities relevant for any current or future combat operations for the next 20 years. I believe that adding the Litening II Pod to the Harrier's arsenal of weapons takes a huge step towards accomplishing those goals," said Col. Tom White III, PMA-257's program manager. "At the same time we are making sure that the engine and airframe are sustained and maintained to be as safe as possible to operate and employ."

Funded by a Congressional plus-up in fiscal year 2000 and fiscal year 2001, PMA-257 set to work to buy, integrate, engineer, test, and establish initial support for a targeting pod for the Harrier. The plan is to buy 47 Litening II Pods through an existing U.S. Air Force contract.

The Litening II Pod completed electromagnetic compatibility testing here in preparation for its shipboard deployment in late January 2001. Testing is on schedule and the goal is to have targeting pods and full support in place and delivered to the Fleet this fiscal year.

The Litening II Pod is currently in operational use by Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve F-16 aircraft. The pod has been flown in Operation Northern Watch, and has accumulated more than 9,000 operational flight hours.