Rafael says it has been selected to supply the IAF with 164 LiteningG4

[WMD]

Rafael says it has been selected to supply the IAF with 164 Litening G4s​

It looks as though Indian combat aircraft are going to continue flying for many years to come with Israeli designator pods. A Rafael official confirmed to Air&Cosmos during the Defexpo Show that the company's Litening G4 had been selected last year following an IAF call for tenders for 164 pods to equip its entire fleet of fighter-bombers. Deliveries under this huge order (the largest ever recorded outside the US, according to Rafael) are expected to get under way by the end of this year. When completed, they will bring the total number of Litening pods in IAF service to approximately 220.



The official indicated that the IAF plans to fit the new Litening G4 to its Jaguars, MiG-27s, Su-30MKIs and Mirage 2000s, the latter having been equipped several years ago with the earlier-generation Litening. This seems to extinguish any IAF prospects for Thales and its Damocles pod. Rafael also says it has had "several preliminary discussions with Dassault" concerning a possible integration of Litening on the Rafale.



The Rafael stand also featured the Reccelite reconnaissance pod, which retains the outer casing of the Litening but replaces certain components (including the laser designator) with higher-performance sensor and optics. Reccelite is believed to have entered service on IAF Jaguars several years ago.



Finally, the Israeli firm indicates that integration of the Derby and Python 5 missiles on India's LCA Tejas combat aircraft should be complete by the year-end.

Rafael scores pod mega-deal - Air&Cosmos

 

[Twinblade]

Re: Rafael says it has been selected to supply the IAF with 164 Liteni

Rafael's Litening GR4 package also included upgrade of older Litening II to Litening generation 4 standard.

 

[Archer]

Re: Rafael says it has been selected to supply the IAF with 164 Liteni

Source?

10 char

 

[Twinblade]

Re: Rafael says it has been selected to supply the IAF with 164 Liteni

Source?

10 char

While the teaming Thales has struck with BEL positions it as a favorite supplier for MMRCA and Mirage 2000 upgrades, the advantages of commonality with existing and new targeting pods is not ignored by the IAF, even if it is not part of the parameters to be considered for the selection. Thales recently announced it is embarking on an improvement of its Damocles pod, a step likely to assist its product offering in India as well.

According to RAFAEL, the Litening pods deployed with the IAF could be upgraded to the same level as the new pods, bringing the total inventory of targeting pods to more than 200, all would be interchangeable between all strike aircraft configured to carry targeting pods.

Defense Update:Indian Selection of Future Targeting Pod in 2013 - Defense Update:

 

[Archer]

Re: Rafael says it has been selected to supply the IAF with 164 Liteni

Thanks TB..

ccording to RAFAEL, the Litening pods deployed with the IAF could be upgraded to the same level as the new pods,

I guess this will be a separate deal and will be signed later, if it was part of the original, it would have biased the RFP in favor of Rafael and made it a single vendor deal.