The US F-16 fighter jet has just made important progress in combat capability thanks to the Sniper NTP network-connected targeting system developed by the US defense - aerospace corporation Lockheed Martin.
The new technology allows real-time sharing of target sensor data between multiple units, thereby improving attack coordination capabilities, shortening response time and improving situation awareness on the battlefield without having to modify the aircraft structure.
In recent test flights, Sniper Networked Targeting Pod (NTP) has proven its ability to transmit the same set of target data to multiple platforms simultaneously, helping combat units grasp a unified battlefield picture.
This is considered an important step towards a network-based combat model where air, land and sea platforms can coordinate more closely.
The system operates based on a secure mobile "ad hoc wireless network" link, helping to reduce data transmission latency and maintain reliability even in conditions where data linking is interrupted.
Thanks to this, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) information can be shared quickly, helping forces respond promptly to constantly changing threats.
Lockheed Martin said that combining high-precision sensors with high-speed and secure connections allows military platforms to share target data effectively, without changing aircraft hardware.
This helps reduce upgrade costs, while expanding the combat life cycle of older generation fighters such as the F-16.
This first flight demonstration marks an important step towards the future of network targeting, where accuracy, speed and connectivity converge to cope with new threats," Lockheed Martin representative emphasized.
Sniper NTP is developed based on the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) platform, a system that has accumulated more than 5 million flight hours and is being used by 28 partner countries.
Lockheed Martin has supplied about 1,650 Sniper ATP devices to military forces around the globe, making it one of the most popular optoelectronic - infrared targeting systems today.
With its new network connectivity capability, the NTP Sniper is expected to take on a larger role on the modern battlefield, especially in connecting fourth-generation aircraft such as the F-16 with fifth-generation platforms.
This helps strengthen unified combat capabilities, allowing forces to exploit sensor advantages, firepower and real-time data more effectively.
