IRST for Pakistan F-16s is possible

[The SC]

I was thinking about an IRST for PAF F-16s, thinking that it can enhance its performance in a dog fight, and in its stealth in combat (Radar off), and I stumbled on this old article:

Lockheed Martin building F-16 IRST
LOCKHEED MARTIN is building an infra-red search-and-track (IRST) sensor pod for flight demonstration on its F-16 in April-May 1997.

The company sees a substantial export market for the sensor, a podded version of the AAS-42 IRST in service since 1994 on US Navy Grumman F-14Ds. It has been cleared to offer the system to Japan for a McDonnell Douglas F-15 upgrade.

The IRST is a long-wavelength infra-red sensor which can produce a thermal image for display in the cockpit and target data for the mission computer. Compared with a radar, the passive sensor can scan a larger volume at longer range and with higher resolution.

Lockheed Martin Electronic Systems says that interest centres on the ability to launch the Hughes AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile with the radar off. The missile would be launched at a detected target and tracked by the passive IRST, with mid-course updates provided via the radar in low-probability-of-intercept mode, and active-radar terminal guidance.

The Orlando, Florida-based company says that combat analyses have indicated that F-16s with an IRST would have an improved loss-exchange ratio against the Sukhoi Su-27 by a factor of 2.3, and against the improved Sukhoi Su-35, which has a reduced radar cross-section, by almost 3.5.

Additionally, customers are interested in using the IRST for "non-hostile" cross-border surveillance, and as an alternative to acquiring expensive airborne early-warning aircraft, Lockheed Martin says. Tests are being conducted of its ability to track tactical ballistic missiles.

The company is fitting the sensor, processor and a liquid-cooling system into a modified Pathfinder navigation pod already cleared for carriage on the F-16's intake station. This installation will provide about a 10¡ look-up angle and full ±80¡ horizontal coverage. Production pods could be available within 16 months of an order.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/lockheed-martin-building-f-16-irst-17025/

 

[The SC]

Lockheed Martin Unveils Legion Pod
February 12, 2015

ORLANDO — Lockheed Martin has unveiled a new pod it claims will bring long-range infrared search and track (IRST) capabilities to fourth-generation aircraft.

The Legion pod, shown for the first time at the Air Force Association's annual Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida, is being billed as a flexible, affordable solution to give networked IRST capabilities to the US Air Force's F-15 and F-16 fighters.

Don Dolling, director of business development at Lockheed's Missiles and Fire Control business unit, called the design of the pod "purposeful," with a focus on making sure the system is affordable, has room to grow with future requirements and does not come with burdensome energy requirements that could hamper the jet's capabilities. The system is also designed to allow situational awareness data sharing between pods.

Digital Show Daily: Complete coverage of AFA's Air Warfare Symposium

The design is 16 inches in diameter and weighs about 500 pounds, largely in line with Lockheed's Sniper targeting pod. The front end is equipped with the IRST21 infrared sensor/receiver, a passive, long-range sensor system used to track and detect airborne threats.

The IRST21 system was approved for low-rate initial production on the Navy's F/A-18 Super Hornet in January. The fact the component is already in use by the Navy will help keep costs down, Dolling said. He emphasized the design of the pod focuses heavily on affordability.

Dolling added that the pod is not designed to simply stay as is, but rather be as flexible as possible. That includes basing the system on an open architecture model.

"We've looked at a number of different radar, RF sensor payload options," he said. "We wouldn't be good stewards of this project if we didn't look at that and a number of hosted payloads that could be accommodated in there, whether they are comms payload or RF payloads, to provide the most mission bang for the buck."

Work on the pod began about three years ago, Dolling said, but escalated once the Air Force issues a request for information for an external IRST capability that can be mounted on an F-15C. He expects a request for proposal for that capability to be issued this year, with a downselect in 2016 ahead of a 2018 delivery date.

The pod has gone through a mechanical fit-check on the center line of the F-15C, and Lockheed is working with the Air Force to clear the jet to fly in that configuration. Once all the qualifications are complete, the pod will be flown first on an F-16 and then quickly after on an F-15. Those first flights could come as soon as March or April, but that timeframe is dependent on when the service gives the all-clear.

A close-up of the Lockheed Martin Legion pod, equipped with an ISRT21 sensor. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

Lockheed is also eyeing the B-1 and B-52 bomber fleets as possibilities for the pod in the future, although equipping Legion on those planes is more of a long-term concept than an ongoing project at the moment.

Another potential competition for the pod is the Air Force's Multi-domain Adaptable Processing System (MAPS) program, which aims to develop better information sharing between fourth-to-fifth generation aircraft. The service has identified data linkage between older aircraft, such as the F-15, and new aircraft like the F-22 or F-35 joint strike fighter, as a key problem to tackle.

Dolling believes the pod-to-pod communication built into Legion makes it an attractive solution on how to share that data. Although he did not make the point directly, the fact that Lockheed has developed the F-35 and much of the software on that plane would give it a potential leg up on competition when it comes to communicating between the older jets and the newer fighter.

"Because [the Air Force] was not able to buy the number of F-22s they would have liked to have had, there is an increasing realization that they need to keep the 4th gen aircraft around much longer," Dolling said. "We think it's innovative, networking information among other pods."

http://www.defensenews.com/story/de.../12/lockheed-unveils-legion-pod-afa/23182593/

 

[ACE OF THE AIR]

 

[Pandora]

Our Military relations with US are over. So Pakistan shouldnt even expect a screw driver from them now. They are not even clearing our requirement for GRC for martime patrol. In short dont waste your time by suggesting american equipment.

 

[Beethoven]

@smuhs1 is absolutely right....mood in the congress is not conducive for sales to Pakistan right now....better go for systems that can be integrated with the Thunders

 

[!eon]

@smuhs1 is absolutely right....mood in the congress is not conducive for sales to Pakistan right now....better go for systems that can be integrated with the Thunders

Even if tomorrow mood in Congress gets in favor of Pakistan, who can predict their mood day after tomorrow ?
US was never Pakistan's ally, partner, friend or even they don't have similar interests. yes, that was and is one source of Pakistani Politicians and Generals to make money in kick backs.
And even if US is or was true ally of Pakistan, after recent hacking of US into Israeli F-16s, there is no business credibility left in favor of Uncle Sam.

 

[Muhammad Omar]

The Question Is Will US allows it to PAF??

 

[BetterPakistan]

Pak shall leave US. We shall focus on improving productivity of our defense equipment.

 

[Imran Khan]

no thanks we can not beg again for the toys

 

[Sipahi]

Turkey is our vendor for F16. US is over.

 

[]_. 0 ]< ! 3*]

I heavily doubt on products that we buy from US. It might not work at time we need. Just wondering.

 

[Zain Malik]

The Question Is Will US allows it to PAF??

NO WAY....
PAKISTAN SHOULD ALSO CANCEL BELL HELOS DEAL WITH US AND INVEST THAT MONEY TO PROCURE A NEW.FIGHTER PLATFORM....

 

[Azad-Kashmiri]

F16, F16, getting sick of this! Bekhayrath kowm! Has no izzath. The dakandar is saying clearly we don't want you here and the saysadan and ginerals keeps begging to buy the outdated, overpriced trash!

One more thing, in 2015 when i said Pakistan will NOT getting anything; F16 and I will add Viper gunships, EVEN if we pay for it from ourselves! They will keep the money and make us buy wheat, etc.

Don't you even understand the times we're living in? They see Pakistan as a undeclared enemy and must be destroyed because their so called ''Masayah''.

Bhai Jaanu, please don't humiliate us any more with this begging attitude.

 

[aliyusuf]

And then ... depression set in.

 

[SQ8]

We already use the SNIPER pod in that role.