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Dutch F-16s to receive RecceLite reconnaissance pod

December 21, 2005 (by Lieven Dewitte) - RAFAEL of Haifa, Israel and the Dutch Ministry of Defense have signed a $40-million contract for six RecceLite reconnaissance pods, which will be carried on 311 Squadron's F-16s at Volkel airbase.

RNlAF F-16AM in Goosebay on August 27th, 2002 doing night-vision sorties preparing for a mission in Afghanistan. [Photo by Brian]

The RecceLite is a self-contained, self-cooled, multi-sensor tactical reconnaissance system, designed to deal with the challenges of the modern battlefield and is characterized by its high level of versatility and ability to handle multiple moving targets over large areas in all weather conditions.

RecceLite simultaneously collects Infra-Red (IR) and Visual (VIS and near IR) digital images within a very wide field of regard, in accordance with an automatic mission plan and/or manual operation. The images and the data annotation are recorded on a solid state recorder and transmitted to the ground exploitation station via the RecceLite data link.

The new RecceLite pods are based on RAFAEL's Litening navigation and targeting pod. Modifications include removal of the laser targeting, replacement of the 3rd-generation FLIR optics with a new one modified for longer range scans, and the existing closed circuit camera was also replaced by a new one with a Zeiss Opronics telescope.

The pod also has a recording unit, with the ability to store of 2.5 hours of continuous reconnaissance imagery.


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