Lockheed completes first flight of Legion Pod

Lockheed Martin's Legion Pod has successfully completed its first flight test on an F-15C aircraft, demonstrating its ability to provide long-range detection and tracking of airborne threats for the US Air Force.

Legion Pod is a multi-function sensor system designed to support collaborative targeting operations in radar-denied environments. Using Lockheed Martin’s IRST21 sensor, networking and advanced processing technology, Legion Pod provides high-fidelity detection and tracking of air-to-air targets.

Its plug-and-play architecture is designed to make it easily transportable across numerous platforms, including fighter and non-fighter aircraft. Legion Pod also accommodates additional sensors within its current structure, acting as a multi-function sensor suite without aircraft or system modifications.

Housed in a 16-in diameter structure, Legion Pod’s baseline configuration includes an advanced processor and datalink capability in addition to its infrared search and track technology.

The flight test began at Jacksonville Air National Guard Base in Florida. Using its common interface, Legion Pod was integrated onto the F-15C without any modifications to the aircraft.

"Similar to last year's F-16 flight tests, Legion Pod successfully tracked multiple airborne targets in representative scenarios," said Paul Lemmo, vice president of fire control/SOF CLSS, at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.

Legion Pod is designed to meet the requirements of the US Air Force's F-15C infrared search and track program of record, which include long-range detection and tracking in a wide field of view. It also offers a variety of capabilities for other fighter and non-fighter aircraft.

September 23, 2016

Original post: aerospacetestinginternational

Lockheed Martin's Legion Pod Completes First F-15C Flight Test

The Legion pod is a belated attempt to give F-15 fighters an IR Search and Track (IRST) capability, but on the F-15C it is located so far aft that the airframe itself hides any target at altitudes higher than the carrier aircraft. (LM photo)

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Lockheed Martin's Legion Pod completed its first flight test on an F-15C aircraft, successfully demonstrating its ability to provide long-range detection and tracking of airborne threats for the U.S. Air Force. 

The flight test began at Jacksonville Air National Guard Base in Florida. Using its common interface, Legion Pod was rapidly integrated onto the F-15C without any modifications to the aircraft. 

"Similar to last year's F-16 flight tests, Legion Pod successfully tracked multiple airborne targets in representative scenarios," said Paul Lemmo, vice president of Fire Control/SOF CLSS at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "With our most advanced technology, a hot production line and established logistics depot, Legion Pod is ready to fulfill urgent capability gaps and support critical air-to-air missions." 

Equipped with an IRST21 infrared sensor and advanced networking and data processing technology, Legion Pod provides high-fidelity detection and tracking of airborne targets. It also accommodates additional sensors without costly system or aircraft modifications. 

Legion Pod is available to meet the requirements of the U.S. Air Force's F-15C infrared search and track program of record, which include long-range detection and tracking in a wide field of view. Legion Pod also offers a variety of capabilities for other fighter and non-fighter aircraft. 

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. 

Source defense-aerospace

IRST21 infrared sensor

IRST21 is the next generation of Lockheed Martin’s legacy IRST sensor system, which accumulated over 300,000 flight hours on F-14 and international F-15 platforms. As a passive, long-range sensor system, IRST21 uses infrared search and track technology to detect and track airborne threats with weapon-quality accuracy, increasing pilot reaction time and improving survivability.

A compact design enables IRST21 to be integrated in a variety of ways. On the F/A-18E/F, IRST21 is mounted on the nose section of the centerline fuel tank. A podded sensor system with IRST21 is also in development and will be transportable across a wide range of platforms including the F-15C and F-16. Source lockheedmartin

Source lockheedmartin