Purchased in large quantities (48 units) by a NATO member country whose territory is adjacent to the conflict area, the FA-50 Fighting Eagle that was purchased by Poland received an increase in capabilities that had never existed before. To be precise, the FA-50 ordered by Poland will be equipped with a reconnaissance pod and a target finder of the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod type.
The US Department of State has approved the sale of 34 AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) and related equipment to Poland. The proposed sales totaling US$124.7 million are believed to increase the tactical effectiveness of the FA-50 fighter jets that Poland has acquired from South Korea.
Warsaw has purchased 48 FA-50 light fighter jets from Seoul for US$13 billion, expecting the first batch of 12 aircraft to be received this year.
The Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod is manufactured by Lockheed Martin. According to its function, this targeting pod is installed on fighter and bomber aircraft, its role is to provide positive identification of targets, autonomous tracking, GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinate pointing and guidance for precision missile/bomb release.
In the US military's internal label, this targeting pod is labeled the AN/AAQ-33 series, but in Lockheed Martin's marketing label it is called the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP). This pod is designed to be light in weight (119 kg) and of course takes aerodynamics into account, so it has lower aerodynamic drag than previous generation pods.
Sniper ATP is equipped with FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red) sensors, TV cameras and laser designators, this sophisticated sniper pod is capable of processing imaging images, and allows pilots to detect, identify, and execute combat missions into the heart of the opponent's defense. FLIR has the ability to carry out full observation support on targets in cloudy and dense smoky environments during the day and night.
Armed with a high-resolution CCD (charge-coupled device) camera, TV, laser spot tracker, FLIR and dual eye safe mode, the sniper pod can support reconnaissance missions for the needs of intelligence roles, especially missions in urban areas as a support for counter insurgency operations.
The working pattern of Sniper ATP is by mixing various outputs from sensor elements, such as 1K high definition mid-wave FLIR, dual-mode laser, 1K visible-light HDTV, laser spot tracker, laser marker, video data link, and digital data recorder.
Then Advanced sensors and image processing are combined for image stabilization needs, as a result the pilot gets the maximum visual presentation of target identification. The Dual-mode laser system in the pod offers an eye safe mode for the use of laser-guided smart bombs.
The Sniper ATP pod is designed with a partition frame model with an optical sensor position referring to the bed design. For ease of maintenance, the pod is equipped with diagnostic capabilities that allow ground crews to perform two-level maintenance.
For automated built-in testing, trained personnel can replace the disk unit in under 20 minutes, and the pod can be ready for use again. Lockheed Martin designed the pod for mid-level maintenance, which is relatively expensive. offers an eye safe mode for use of laser-guided smart bombs.
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