LANTIRN

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F-15E Strike Eagle, the AN/AAQ-13 navigation pod to the left with the AN/AAQ-14 targeting pod to the right. This particular F-15 was assigned to the 366th Fighter Wing
(Note the emblem on the intake.)

LANTIRN (Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night) is a combined navigation and

precision-guided weapons
.

Features

AN/AAQ-13 LANTIRN navigation pod aboard an F-15E
F-15E Head-up display of infrared image from the AN/AAQ-13 LANTIRN navigation pod

LANTIRN consists of a navigation pod and a targeting pod mounted externally beneath the aircraft.

AN/AAQ-13 navigation pod

The AN/AAQ-13 navigation pod provides high-speed penetration and precision attack on tactical targets at night and in adverse weather. The navigation pod contains a

forward looking infrared navigation system for air superiority fighters
. A downgraded version for export with the terrain-following radar deleted is designated as the AN/AAQ-20 Pathfinder, which is only capable of providing a visual cue/picture of ground features in darkness and adverse weather generated by the infrared sensor, and pilots must rely on their own skill to avoid ground obstacles at low altitude flight.

AN/AAQ-14 targeting pod

The AN/AAQ-14 targeting pod contains a high-resolution,

forward looking infrared sensor (which displays an infrared image of the target to the pilot), a laser designator/rangefinder for precise delivery of laser-guided munitions, a missile boresight correlator for automatic lock-on of the AGM-65 Maverick imaging infrared missiles, and software for automatic target tracking. These features simplify the functions of target detection, recognition and attack and permit pilots of single-seat fighters to attack targets with precision-guided weapons on a single pass. A downgraded version for export with the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile compatibility deleted is designated as AN/AAQ-19 Sharpshooter.[1]

Background

The research and development program began in September 1980 with

AN/AAQ-33 Sniper
pod.

LANTIRN and the F-14 Tomcat

An F-14D carrying a LANTIRN pod, 2005

Until the early 1990s, the

VF-103
fleet aircraft successfully dropped the first laser-guided training rounds (LGTR) and quickly laser-guided bombs (LGB). Due to the early success and interest from Fleet Commanders, NAVAIR began to procure pods and control units for deployment, resulting in VF-103 receiving the first LANTIRN pod June 14, 1996 in time for its upcoming deployment.

The basic LANTIRN was modified into LANTIRN Targeting System (LTS), the navigation pod was removed from the two-pod system and the targeting pod was improved for Tomcat use. The LTS featured a Global Positioning System and inertial measurement unit that provided the pod line-of-sight cueing and weapon release ballistics and eliminated the need for external cumbersome and time-consuming boresight equipment.

Unlike the early versions, the LTS performed all weapon release calculations and presented release cues that it had generated to the aircrew. The LTS also had a masking avoidance curve display (preventing firing the laser at the jet) and eventually a north orientation curve and 12,200 m (40,000 ft) capable laser. The latter became very useful allowing F-14s to employ LGBs above potential threat systems and it came into its own in the higher terrain in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.

The LTS could also generate coordinates for any target located on the FLIR, and a latter software modification, known as T3 (Tomcat Tactical Targeting) increased the accuracy of the coordinates produced by the LTS and allowed generated coordinates for GPS/INS guided weapons (

CBU-103
WCMD from over 40,000 feet (12,000 m). These weapons scored hits on a vehicle convoy that had stopped after the first vehicle was destroyed by the Tomcat with LGBs.

The pod also featured an internal computer with ballistics data for the various precision munitions carried by the F-14. Data is fed to the pod by the Tomcat's

AN/APG-71 (F-14D) radar, but the LTS in turn only sends video and guidance symbology to the crew's cockpit displays. This means that few wiring and software changes had to be made to the Tomcat in order for it to operate the LTS. All pod controls are in the RIO's cockpit, but the bomb release button is situated with the pilot. The LTS had a price tag of around 3 million US Dollars each and due to these high costs, only 75 were bought for fleet use. Typically, an F-14 squadron brought 6 to 8 pods with them on deployment, which would be permanently fitted to the non-TARPS
jets.

The first combat use of the LTS was in December 1998 during

Operation Desert Fox
by VF-32.

General characteristics

  • Primary function: Low altitude navigation and targeting infrared for night flying
  • Contractor: Lockheed Martin, Inc.
  • Length: Navigation pod, 78.2 in (1.99 m); targeting pod, 98.5 in (2.51 m)
  • Diameter: Navigation pod, 12 in (305 mm); targeting pod, 15 in (380 mm)
  • Weight: Navigation pod, 451.1 lb (204.6 kg); targeting pod, 530 lb (240.7 kg)
  • Aircraft: F-15E, F-16A/B Block 20 (MLU), F-16C/D Block 40, F-14 B/D, S-3B
  • Sensors: Infrared and terrain following radar sensors on the navigation pod. Infrared and laser designator and ranging sensors on the targeting pod
  • Introduction date: March 1987
  • Unit cost: Navigation pod, $1.38 million; targeting pod, $3.6 million[2]

Operators

 Belgium
 Egypt
 Greece
 Israel
 Netherlands
 Singapore
 South Korea
 Taiwan
 Turkey
 United States

See also

  • ATFLIR
  • LITENING
    AN/AAQ-28(V)
  • Lockheed Martin Sniper XR
  • Thales Damocles
  • PDLCT

References

  1. user-generated source?
    ]
  2. ^ "Official Site of the U.S. Air Force - Fact Sheet (Printable) : LANTIRN". Archived from the original on 2012-12-12.
  3. ^ Ellebaut, Stefaan. "Belgian Air Force buys eight Sniper XR targeting pods". F-16.net. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Egypt getting more LANTIRN targeting pods". defenceWeb. 2016-11-29. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  5. ^ a b "AN/AAQ-13 & AN/AAQ-14 LANTIRN Navigation & Targeting Pod". F-16.net. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  6. ^ "F-16 Air Forces - Israel". F-16.net. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  7. ^ "143rd squadron (RSAF)". F-16.net. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  8. ^ "155th Fighter Squadron (RoKAF)". F-16.net. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  9. ^ "F-16 Air Forces - Republic of China / Taiwan". F-16.net. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  10. ^ "F-16 Air Forces - Turkey". F-16.net. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  11. ^ "USAF Fact Sheet - LANTIRN". af.mil. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  12. ^ "New LANTIRN ER goes to war". navair.navy.mil. Retrieved 18 February 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to LANTIRN.
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