Article Posted on : - Sep 16, 2010

Raytheon�s Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) pod.

MCKINNEY, TEXAS (BNS): US Navy has awarded a $9 million worth contract to the Raytheon Company to retrofit new infrared technology on Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) pod systems for use on F/A-18C-F aircraft.

The retrofit will enable US Navy aircrews to mark a target with a common visual reference that can be positively identified by both the aircrew and ground troops using night vision goggles.

"These pod upgrades keep warfighters on the cutting edge of technology as they locate, identify and track potential threats to the United States and its allies,” Tim Carey, vice president for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems was quoted as saying in a Raytheon news report.

The work will be done in McKinney and El Segundo, California.

"This capability insertion will advance system technology and mission capabilities, thus ensuring that ATFLIR will continue to play a critical role in the U.S. Navy's operations around the world," added Capt. Mark Darrah, Navy program manager for the F/A-18 and E/A-18G aircraft.

ATFLIR provides the US Navy with the most advanced targeting system available for F/A-18 aircraft, featuring a common optical path with continuous auto-boresight alignment. The strong combination of electro-optical sensor, targeting FLIR and high-power laser work will deliver unmatched targeting pod accuracy, increasing mission success.