Rafael’s latest Litening targeting pod, equipped with a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), reportedly played a significant role during the recent U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran. By combining radar imaging with advanced electro-optical sensors, the upgraded system enables fighter aircraft to detect, identify, and engage targets in all weather conditions—even through cloud cover and at extended stand-off ranges.
According to Israeli sources, the upgraded Litening SAR combines the pod’s well-established electro-optical capabilities with a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), significantly expanding its ability to detect and engage targets under challenging battlefield conditions.
Seeing Through Clouds
The addition of a high-performance SAR sensor enables fighter aircraft to identify and track targets regardless of weather or visibility. And unlike conventional electro-optical systems, which can be degraded by cloud cover, smoke, or haze, the SAR-equipped Litening allows pilots to “see” through adverse conditions and generate detailed radar imagery of the battlefield.
This capability enables aircraft to locate and identify targets even when optical sensors are unable to provide a clear picture.
Long-Range Precision Targeting
Operating at stand-off distances, the SAR scans large areas of enemy territory and generates highly accurate target coordinates for GPS/INS-guided and laser-guided precision munitions.
The upgraded pod combines radar imagery with data from mid-wave infrared (MWIR) sensors, short-wave infrared (SWIR) sensors, and high-definition color cameras, providing pilots with a comprehensive multi-spectral picture of the target area.
According to Yuval Steinitz, Chairman of Rafael, the new Litening configuration introduces automated target tracking and wide-area scanning modes, significantly streamlining the process of detecting and engaging targets.
Steinitz added that the upgraded system enables combat aircraft to acquire targets from greater distances while remaining outside the immediate engagement zones of hostile air defense systems.
Rafael’s Litening – A Globally Proven System
The Litening targeting pod has become one of the world’s most widely deployed airborne targeting systems. It is currently in operational service with 28 air forces and several branches of the U.S. military. Major operators include the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, Air National Guard, and the air forces of Israel, Germany, India, Australia, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.
With the addition of Synthetic Aperture Radar, Rafael’s latest Litening variant extends the system’s capabilities beyond traditional electro-optical targeting, providing air forces with an all-weather precision targeting solution designed to meet the demands of increasingly complex modern battlefields.
Author: Arie Egozi, Israel Correspondent
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