The Sniper XR (eXtended Range) is an advanced targeting pod designed to meet the requirements of the US Air Force and Air National Guard. It incorporates a third generation targeting FLIR, a laser tracker, a laser marker, a dual mode laser, and a CCD-TV providing superior image quality.
The lightweight Sniper XR provides target identification and targeting capabilities at greater ranges compared to existing targeting pods. It also features lower life cycle costs thanks to its modular architecture. The US Air Force selected Sniper XR for integration on the F-16C Block 50, F-16C Block 40, F-16 Block 30 and the F-15E. Under this contract, Lockheed-Martin will provide up to 522 Sniper XR targeting pods to the US Air Force and Air National Guard.
In February 2004, the US Air Force awarded a contract to integrate Sniper XR targeting pod onto the US Air Force A-10 aircraft. Sniper XR addition to the OA/A-10 aircraft fleet is being carried out under the A-10 precision engagement upgrade. B-1 and B-52 targeting requirements could be fulfilled by the Sniper XR as well.
The total number of Sniper XR targeting pods delivered or ordered by the US Air Force and US National Guard until Lot IV award is 92. The pods are fully interchangeable among different aircraft types because Sniper XR's software allows to automatically identify the type of aircraft. For example, the US Air Force can download a pod from an F-16 and load onto an F-15 or A-10 aircraft without having to change the pod software.
In August 2004, several flight tests of the Sniper XR on the F/A-18D aircraft were carried out in support of targeting pod competitions in Australia and Canada, and potential future requirements of the US Navy and US Marine Corps for their F/A-18C/Ds and F/A-18E/Fs. The Sniper XR connected to the Hornet via the NITE Hawk pod interfaces.
In early 2005, the US Air Force released that the F-15E Strike Eagle was testing Sniper XR advanced targeting pod at the Royal Air Force base in Lakenheath, England. During the test campaign , an F-15E dropped for the first time the 500-pound GBU-38 JDAM satellite-guided weapon.
As of March 2005, Sniper XR pods were equipping US Air Force F-15E, F-16 Block 50 and Air National Guard F-16 Block 30 aircraft. Follow-on procurements were expected to outfit the F-16 Block 40, F-15E and A-10 fleets. In addition, the pod was being evaluated to fulfill targeting requirements on the B-1 and B-52 aircraft.
In May 2005, the US Air Force released that the Sniper XR advanced targeting pod was successfully deployed in Iraq on the F-15E Strike Eagle. These aircraft flew more than 450 missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sniper XR was integrated onto the US Air Force and Air National Guard F-15E, F-16 Block 30/40/50, A-10 and was being integrated on the B-1B Lancer.
Sniper XR Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) achieved initial operational capability (IOC) with the Air National Guard (ANG) on 21 April 2006. The unit involved was the F-16-equipped 174th Fighter Wing based in Syracuse, New York.
