From The Archives: Flight Report On The F-16/Litening II
Almost 25 years ago on the cover of Aviation Week & Space Technology’s Aug. 21, 2000, issue featured a U.S. Air Force Reserve Command F-16C from the 419th Fighter Wing at Hill AFB, Utah, maneuvering with a Northrop Grumman/Rafael Litening II targeting pod mounted on the right inlet stores station.
The 419th was the first unit to deploy with the new pods, which contained a third-generation FLIR and CCD television system.
For the accompanying story, Aviation Week Rocky Mountain Bureau Chief William B. Scott flew an evaluation flight on an F-16D from the USAF Reserves' 466th Fighter Sqdn. equipped with the Litening II.
The recent addition of the pod to USAF Reserve Command and Air National Guard F-16s had not only given the reserve component a needed precision strike capability, but also boosted their fighters to weapon-of-choice status among combat commanders.
Although new to American fleets at the time, Litening pods were already being flown by eight other air forces, carried on F-16s, Tornadoes, F/A-18 Hornets, AV-8B Harriers, French Mirages and F-5 Tigers.
The Litening II first entered service with Israel's air force in early 1997.
Cover USAF photo by TSgt. Thomas Cook
August 21 2000 | Aviation Week
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