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F-16CM Targeting Pod


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I thought the standard targeting pod for active USAF F-16 units was the Sniper pod. I believe Litening pods were purchased for the ANG back in the day. The 480th FS recently deployed F-16s to Okinawa. It looks like a Litening pod on the right intake. Does anyone have more info?

 

https://www.kadena.af.mil/News/Article/3268496/falcons-join-raptors-and-eagles-at-kab/

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480FS is normally set up with AN/ASQ-33 Sniper, but as you see form the pics for the deployment they use the LIghtening for the deployment. 

 

The USAF/ANG/PACAF uses both, and each unit has their normal setup but do switch at times depending on the circumstances. 

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These days all electronic equipment is subject to upgrades, both the Sniper and the Lightening too. I can't say which is best, but the Sniper is buildt into the F-35 whcih gives an indication. I've also seen that the Lightening pod has come in "I" "II" and "III" versions, also indicating upgrades. 

That said, neither is bad and both do the job. 

Which to use when and where is an operational consideration I guess? 

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All the info I've seen on who uses what pod, which one is better or even which models are in use typically date from message board posts from 10-15 years ago when these pods were going into widespread service. Nowadays it doesn't seem to be as well defined.  Photos are really the only way to know for sure what someone flies with. 

 

It really only seemed like when Sniper and LITENING were competing for new sales in the early '00s did anyone talk about capabilities and updates and the alphabet soup of models.  ATP, XR, SE, etc. I doubt the current pods are identical to the ones fielded a decade ago, but odds are few here would know what's different and it's even less likely it matters from a modeling perspective.

 

 

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2 minutes ago, Crash Test Dummy said:

but odds are few here would know what's different and it's even less likely it matters from a modeling perspective.

 

 

Totally agree, and the changes will more than likely be in the software, ie on the inside. On th Sniper, the only external difference is the "clump" at the backside which facilitate transmition of live data to a ground station. Everything else is internal upgrades. 
That said, a unit usually is set up with either-or, not both. Likely from maintenance and training perspective. 

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