https://www.eurofighter.com/multimedia/ ... n-flag-usa

https://www.aeroexpo.online/de/prod/leo ... 64088.html
Ich vermute, dass das Manko des Montagepunkts im Einsatz durch die extrem hohe Reichweite wieder wettgemacht wird:
SWEETMAN Bill: Massive Precision, in: Aviation Week & Space Technology (January 18-31, 2016), p. 43-45
Litening 5, which started flight tests last year and is expected to enter service by 2018, complements the new weapons. It has new optics with a larger aperture and zoom range, and introduces a third operating band—the shortwave infared (SWIR) band, about 1.5 microns. SWIR operates well in nighttime conditions, but its most important attribute is that it is absorbed less by atmospheric moisture than visible light (0.5-0.7 microns) and provides longer oblique range than either midwave IR or daylight high-definition TV. According to Rafael, Litening 5 will be able to detect and track vehicle targets at ranges of up to 60 km, using an ultratelephoto SWIR sensor with a 0.3-deg. field of view and new automatic moving-target-indication algorithm.
Longer range changes the pod’s role. “This is more than a small step,” says a Rafael executive. “It goes from being a laser targeting pod to a standoff, multiweapon pod.” The 60-km range is beyond the reach of accurate laser designation, because of low-altitude atmospheric absorption and distortion, and geometrical “smearing” of the laser spot along the beam axis. The pod uses Rafael’s MatchGuide software to generate the multipoint template for Spice guidance.
Die F-35 hat das EOTS unter der Nase integriert - aber sehr viel weiter vorne, als das jemals mit dem LITENING möglich wäre:

https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/ne ... ystem.html
https://de.linkedin.com/pulse/f-35-eots-michelle-bryan
Und in diesem Fall kommt auch noch das EODAS dazu, das quasi die passive Verfolgung gegnerischer Luftfahrzeuge 360° rund um das Flugzeug ermöglicht.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR- ... -25767.pdfc. The Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) provides long-range detection and tracking as well as an infrared search and track (IRST) and forward-looking infrared (FLIR) capability for precision tracking, weapons delivery and bomb damage assessment (BDA). The EOTS replaces multiple separate internal or podded systems typically found on legacy aircraft.
d. The Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System (EODAS) provides the pilot with full spherical coverage for air-to-air and air-to-ground threat awareness, day/night vision enhancements, a fire control capability and precision tracking of wingmen/
friendly aircraft. The EODAS provides data directly to the pilot’s helmet as well as the mission system.