Saudis Seek Sniper ATP Supplementation for F-15S
from Defense Industry Daily (US: Vermont)
On December 7, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced Saudi Arabia's request for 40 of Lockheed Martin's AN/AAQ-33 SNIPER Advanced Targeting Pods, which would replace the older LANTIRN twin-pod systems installed on Saudi F-15S Strike Eagles. Sniper ATP pods significantly enhance an aircraft's strike capability by adding stabilized long-range laser tracking and targeting illumination, high performance day/night surveillance, GPS targeting capabilities, and even some air-air target detection and tracking abilities to aircraft using them ... To date, Sniper ATPs have been ordered by the USAF and by Belgium, Britain (Harriers only), Canada, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, and Singapore. The estimated contract value would be $220 million with Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control Company in Dallas, TX being the prime contractor ... Most DSCA announcements attract little attention, but Saudi sales are face some political hurdles in Congress these days, where opposition to sales of JDAM GPS-guided smart bombs to Saudi Arabia is rising.