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Targeting Pods
Targeting pods (TGP) are target designation tools used by attack aircraft for identifying targets and guiding precision-guided munition (PGM) such as laser-guided bombs to those targets. The first targeting pods were developed in conjunction with the earliest generation of PGMs in the mid-1960s. Categories Laser designators The design of laser-guided bombs requires a "laser spot tracker" that locates reflected pulsed laser light from a designated target. This enables an aircraft's targeting system to home in on that specific target. The simplest spot trackers, such as the Pave Penny pod, have no laser at all, just a laser sensor. Some targeting systems incorporate a laser rangefinder, a laser beam that can calculate the precise range to a target and communicate that information to the nav/attack system. Many targeting pods or installations use the same sensor as the laser spot tracker to receive the reflected rangefinder signal, so they can perform both ranging and tracking. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NAVFLIR DAMOCLES P1220870
Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) cameras, typically used on military and civilian aircraft, use a thermographic camera that senses infrared radiation. The sensors installed in forward-looking infrared cameras, as well as those of other thermal imaging cameras, use detection of infrared radiation, typically emitted from a heat source (thermal radiation), to create an image assembled for video output. They can be used to help pilots and drivers steer their vehicles at night and in fog, or to detect warm objects against a cooler background. The wavelength of infrared that thermal imaging cameras detect is 3 to 12 μm and differs significantly from that of night vision, which operates in the visible light and near-infrared ranges (0.4 to 1.0 μm). Design Infrared light falls into two basic ranges: ''long-wave'' and ''medium-wave''. Long-wave infrared (LWIR) cameras, sometimes called "far-infrared", operate at 8 to 12 μm and can see heat sources, such as hot en ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR
The AN/ASQ-228 Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) is a multi-sensor, electro-optical targeting pod incorporating thermographic camera, low-light television camera, target laser rangefinder/laser designator, and laser spot tracker developed and manufactured by Raytheon. It is used to provide navigation and targeting for military aircraft in adverse weather and using precision-guided munitions such as laser-guided bombs. It is intended to replace the earlier AN/AAS-38 Nite Hawk pod in US Navy service. ATFLIR is 72 in (183 cm) long, weighs 420 lb (191 kg), and has a slant range of 40 mi (64.3 km), said to be useful at altitude of up to 50,000 ft (15,240 m). It has fewer parts than many previous systems, which is intended to improve serviceability (although early examples, in service with VFA-115 'Eagles' in 2003 experienced problems). Crews indicate that it offers much greater target resolution and image accuracy than previous syste ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
F-15E LANTIRN Pod
The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high-speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic-warfare aircraft. United States Air Force (USAF) F-15E Strike Eagles can be generally distinguished from other US Eagle variants by darker aircraft camouflage, conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) mounted along the engine intake ramps (although CFTs can also be mounted on earlier F-15 variants) and a tandem-seat cockpit. The Strike Eagle has been deployed for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya, among others. During these operations, the strike fighter has carried out deep strikes against high-value targets and combat air patrols, and provided close air support for coalition troops. It has also been exported to several countries. Development Origins The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle was introduced ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blue Sky Navigation Pod
Blue Sky is a combined airborne navigation and targeting pod system for Chinese military aircraft. It is designed to provide aircraft with all-weather/night-attack capabilities. It is the Chinese equivalent of the United States Air Force LANTIRN system. Several derivatives have already been developed since its public debut. History It was first revealed to the public at the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, and it is designed by CLETRI, more commonly known as the 607th Institute. 1st generation Most detailed information released by the developer is that for the first-generation Blue Sky navigational pod, which consists of five parts: terrain following radar, wide-field forward looking infrared, environmental control unit (ECU), computer system (NPCC) and power system (NPPW). *size: 0.295 cubic metre *weight: 200 kg *maximum aircraft speed: 900 km/hour *minimum altitude: 60 metre *maximum continuous operation in terrain following mode at minimum altitude: > 50 minutes *g force: -1 g to + 12 g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pave Spike
The Westinghouse AN/ASQ-153\AN/AVQ-23 Pave Spike is an electro-optical laser designator targeting pod used to direct laser-guided bombs to target in daylight, visual conditions. It contained a laser boresighted to a television camera, which displayed its image on a cockpit screen. 156 examples of the original AN/ASQ-153 were used by USAF F-4 Phantom II aircraft (D and E variants) from 1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ... through 1989 in aviation, 1989, replacing the earlier Pave Knife. The 144-inch-long (3.66 m), 420-lb (209 kg) pod was mounted in the F-4's left forward missile well, in place of an AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile. In 1979, the Royal Air Force acquired a number of the simplified AN/AVQ-23E pods for their Blackburn Buccaneers. Twelve aircr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pave Knife
The Ford Aerospace AN/AVQ-10 Pave Knife was an early targeting pod developed by the USAF and US Navy to designate and guide laser-guided bombs. Pave Knife was developed in 1969 to replace the original, essentially improvised Airborne Laser Designator (ALD) and TRIM pod (see A-6 Intruder). ALD was not a pod but a hand-held laser operated by the weapon systems officer to mark targets for Paveway laser-guided bombs. Pave Knife was a roughly banana-shaped external pod, weighing about 550 kg (1,200 lb), containing a steerable laser and closed-circuit television camera. The weapon systems officer or bombardier/navigator (BN) monitored the TV image with a small Sony TV in the cockpit and steered the laser onto the target with a hand controller, then passing the target information to the aircraft's gun sight. The Pave Knife bid was a firm fixed-price contract, involving design, development, and manufacture of one prototype, which was considered to be of vital nature due to the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
FILAT
FILAT (Forward-looking Infrared and Laser Attack Targeting) pod is an airborne targeting pod designed to provide aircraft with all weather / night attack capabilities. It was first revealed to the public at 1998 Zhuhai Air Show, and it is designed by the 613 Institute of AVIC. FILAT FILAT pod is the Chinese equivalent of the AN/AAQ-14 targeting pod of the LANTIRN system, and several derivatives have already been developed since its public debut. The Chinese government has acknowledged that FILAT pod is based on the experience of the following three western targeting pods: LANTIRN, TIALD and LITENING targeting pods. Although the Chinese government has not mentioned how LANTIRN and TIALD systems had fallen into the Chinese hands, western sources have reported that China had obtained the systems from downed allied aircraft via Iraq during the Gulf War. The structure of FILAT pod is similar to most targeting pods, consisting laser designator, FLIR, and Charge-coupled device. Just like ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ATLIS II
The Thomson-CSF ATLIS II (Automatic Tracking and Laser Integration System) is a French laser/electro-optical targeting pod for fighter bomber and attack aircraft. ATLIS was developed starting in 1976, entering service in 1980. It was developed for the French Armée de l'Air, initially carried by SEPECAT Jaguar and Mirage 2000 aircraft. ATLIS incorporates a laser designator boresighted with a television camera. The pilot or weapon systems officer uses the crosshairs to mark a target, which can then be attacked with laser-guided bombs or other guided weapons from the designating aircraft or other, friendly forces. Because it is designed for use by single-seat aircraft, it has a novel automatic lock-on feature, which keeps the laser focused on the target without further operator intervention (using an inertial guidance system, it can generally keep the laser on target even if the beam is temporarily interrupted by clouds). ATLIS II is used by the SEPECAT Jaguar, Mirage F1, Mirage ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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