Procurement of 90 advanced pods underscores Germany’s long-standing partnership with Rafael
The German parliament has authorized the procurement of 90 Litening 5 targeting pods for its Eurofighter Typhoon fleet, enhancing the precision strike and reconnaissance capabilities of the Bundeswehr. The decision reflects Germany’s confidence in Rafael’s systems and continues a decades-long defense partnership. It also aligns with a broader NATO trend emphasizing multi-wavelength sensor integration and stand-off targeting effectiveness in contested airspaces.
Litening 5 is a fifth-generation targeting system already operational with 28 air forces worldwide. With more than 2,000 units delivered and over 2.2 million operational flight hours—primarily during contingency operations—it has become one of the most widely used targeting pods in service.
Precision Capabilities and Mission Adaptability The pod’s sensor suite includes mid-wave and short-wave infrared, high-resolution color imaging, and dual-wavelength laser designation, with an optional synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for wide-area, all-weather imaging. This enables long-range detection, recognition, and identification of targets under varied atmospheric conditions.
Litening 5 supports both air-to-ground and air-to-air missions, including ground moving target indication, multi-target tracking, and automatic target recognition. For air-to-air operations, it enhances target identification at range, supports detection of low-RCS threats, and provides missile cueing when integrated with the host platform. It also offers capabilities for detecting and engaging unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), supporting operational flexibility against diverse threats.
