Northrop Grumman has secured a contract to integrate advanced tactical data links into the US Marine Corps’ F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft.
The data links will be incorporated into the fighter jet’s LITENING electro-optical/infrared targeting pods, significantly enhancing its ability to communicate and share information with other military platforms.
According to Northrop, the new tactical data link is the first to utilize the Bandwidth Efficient Common Data Link waveform, which enables faster and more secure communications.
Once integrated, the data link will allow the Super Hornet to transmit real-time video, still images, and metadata, improving situational awareness and enabling quicker decision-making.
“LITENING’s high-definition sensors on the advanced targeting pod gather critical information, enabling more rapid decision-making,” said James Conroy, Northrop’s vice president for navigation, targeting, and survivability.
‘A Critical Capability’
The F/A-18’s LITENING targeting pod is designed to detect, acquire, identify, and track potential targets at extended ranges.
It supports a wide range of missions, including precision targeting, air superiority, close air support, and aerial surveillance.
Integrating an advanced tactical data link into the pod will improve the aircraft’s interoperability and increase data transfer rates.
It will also enhance aircraft connectivity and ensure adaptability to future mission requirements.
“[This] enhancement is like upgrading to better Wi-Fi by building on LITENING’s already proven data links, making live feeds immediately available on the ground – a critical capability in our modern environment,” Conroy noted.
