The U.S. Air Force is conducting research on developing a display for the Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) for the Boeing [BA] B-52H bomber.
Over the last decade, the service has moved forward on fielding two ATPs for the B-52H fleet–the Lockheed Martin [LMT] Sniper pod and the Litening pod by Northrop Grumman [NOC] and Israel’s Rafael.
The B-52 Systems Program Office (SPO) at Tinker AFB, Okla. wants feedback on possible sources to build the ATP display prototype by March 31.
“The prototype can be modified commercial off the shelf (COTS) or a new design,” per a BetaSam notice.
“The ATP systems (AN/AAQ-28 LITENING or AN/AAQ-33A SNIPER) provide target acquisition, tracking, and laser designation for day or night beyond-visual-range precision strike capability,” the notice said. “The ATP system consists of a pod, a modified ALE-25 pylon (a.k.a. Laser Pod Pylon), modified aircraft Interface Unit Software (IUS), aircraft control, and display. The display provides interface with the targeting pods and other aircraft systems utilizing MIL-STD-1553 and RS-422 communications ports.”
The B-52 SPO said that it wants the display to weigh no more than 31 pounds.
“The processor in the display does need to generate graphics internally to overlay on the received analog video inputs,” the B-52 SPO said March 10 in response to a question on whether the prototype display’s processor needs to generate graphics internally to overlay on the received analog video inputs, or whether the processor only needs to display the analog video. “Software is being developed to be loaded on the display.
In the BetaSam notice, the B-52 SPO said that it intends to pursue the ATP display prototype eventually under Other Transactions for Prototype Projects.
In 2015, Congress granted DoD permanent authority to use such agreements to allow DoD to accelerate procurement timelines and help attract commercial science and technology firms to contracting with the Pentagon–a source that such companies have shied away from due to federal contract laws and requirements.