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First PANTERA targeting pods for Norway's F-16s
November 19, 2003 (by
Eric L. Palmer) -
PANTERA, the export equivalent to the Lockheed Martin Sniper Extended Range (XR) targeting pod was delivered to the RNoAF for use in their F-16s. PANTERA is the international application of Sniper, which the USAF selected as its Advanced Targeting Pod.
Lockheed Martin delivered its first Precision Attack Navigation and Targeting (PANTERA) pod to the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF), making Norway the first country outside of the United States to receive the world's highest performance, longest range targeting system.
This delivery represented the first of nine targeting pods currently on order for use on Norway's F-16 aircraft.
PANTERA is the export equivalent to the Lockheed Martin Sniper Extended Range (XR) targeting pod. It allows the opportunity to identify tactical targets at greatly improved standoff ranges versus competing targeting systems. Designed with an infrared pointer, laser, day TV, Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), laser spot tracker, and advanced algorithms, the pod delivers superior tracking performance and reliability to support the RNoAF's critical operational requirements. Designed for true two-level maintenance, PANTERA's superior performance also includes significantly lower life-cycle costs.
Sniper XR, the domestic version of PANTERA, has recently received an $18.7 million order to equip the U.S. Air Force with 11 additional Sniper� XR(TM) advanced targeting pods (ATP). The award is part of a seven-year ATP contract, with a potential value in excess of $843 million.
The order, including spares, test support, training and depot repair test equipment marks the third purchase of targeting pods by the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard and increases the total number of pods purchases to 56.
Sniper XR recently completed a successful Operational Utility Evaluation (OUE) on the F-15E Strike Eagle Fighter and pre-qualification, test and evaluation (pre-QT&E) flights on the F-16 block 30 and block 50 aircraft. Sniper XR began F-16 QT&E flight-testing last October.
Download: PANTERA fact sheet (PDF - 224 kb)
This delivery represented the first of nine targeting pods currently on order for use on Norway's F-16 aircraft.
PANTERA is the export equivalent to the Lockheed Martin Sniper Extended Range (XR) targeting pod. It allows the opportunity to identify tactical targets at greatly improved standoff ranges versus competing targeting systems. Designed with an infrared pointer, laser, day TV, Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), laser spot tracker, and advanced algorithms, the pod delivers superior tracking performance and reliability to support the RNoAF's critical operational requirements. Designed for true two-level maintenance, PANTERA's superior performance also includes significantly lower life-cycle costs.
Sniper XR, the domestic version of PANTERA, has recently received an $18.7 million order to equip the U.S. Air Force with 11 additional Sniper� XR(TM) advanced targeting pods (ATP). The award is part of a seven-year ATP contract, with a potential value in excess of $843 million.
The order, including spares, test support, training and depot repair test equipment marks the third purchase of targeting pods by the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard and increases the total number of pods purchases to 56.
Sniper XR recently completed a successful Operational Utility Evaluation (OUE) on the F-15E Strike Eagle Fighter and pre-qualification, test and evaluation (pre-QT&E) flights on the F-16 block 30 and block 50 aircraft. Sniper XR began F-16 QT&E flight-testing last October.
Download: PANTERA fact sheet (PDF - 224 kb)
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- Sniper XR flight tests successful (2003-09-16)
- Sniper XR advances into QT&E (2003-11-14)
- F-16 Fighting Falcon news archive
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