F-16 Fighting Falcon

As of late-January 2005, the CJ model of the F-16 Fighting Falcon at Shaw AFB had been upgraded with a number of features to improve its SEAD capabilities. These were the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System, the targeting pod and the Link 16. The cueing system upgrade on a helmet shows heads-up display data on the helmet visor and allows the pilot to select a target without changing the jet’s direction. The system enables the pilot to visually identify, lock the weapons system on and engage an air or ground target without looking through the heads-up display on the aircraft itself. The targeting pod is another upgrade incorporated on the aircraft. It has a forward-looking infrared sensor which displays an infrared image of the target for the pilot. The pod helps with precise delivery of laser-guided munitions by using a laser to determine range to a target and to the ground. In the future, pilots are to have even greater capability with an advanced targeting pod known as the Sniper XR. The third upgrade for the aircraft is the Link 16 which allows aircraft to share cockpit data and lets pilots merge into one display what all the airplanes are seeing. The data link helps pilots quickly gain situational awareness, and it gives them a combat edge in having complete knowledge of the battle space around them.

Picture Sniper XR Targeting Pod