Collins Aerospace has test flown its latest airborne reconnaissance pod for the first time.
The Raytheon subsidiary tested the MS-110 Multispectral Airborne Reconnaissance system aboard an F-16 fighter for an undisclosed international customer, the company stated.
“The test flight demonstrated aircraft integration, flight worthiness, and full-system performance within the demanding confines of tactical jet flight envelopes,” it added.
Offers Farther, Broader Surveillance
The system evolved from the company’s DB-110 reconnaissance system, leveraging multi-spectral imaging expertise from SYERS-2C fitted on the Lockheed Martin U-2 spy plane.
The MS-110 offers a farther, broader range of surveillance than previous systems, even in contested environments, the company claims.
Target Detection in Poor Visibility
The system’s advanced imagery and multispectral capabilities enable target detection in poor visibility and faster dissemination “via high-bandwidth datalink and Collins’ ground intelligence-sharing architecture.”
“Accurate and reliable intelligence that can be shared at a national and coalition level is critical to mission success in the Joint All Domain Command and Control battlespace,” Collins Aerospace Airborne ISR Solutions director and general manager Lora Magliocco said.
The system is compatible with a range of aircraft, including unmanned platforms such as the General Atomics MQ-9.