Aircraft
Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Offer Airborne Vigilance At Lower Cost
The Vigilance pod is fully self-contained, with its own cooling system. The APG-80 radar was first fitted to F-16 Block 60 fighters sold to the UAE Air Force. A UK Royal Navy Merlin helicopter (left) fitted with the prototype Vigilance pod is to make test flights shortly, as the pod has already completed ground testing.
The Vigilance pod is fully self-contained, with its own cooling system. The APG-80 radar was first fitted to F-16 Block 60 fighters sold to the UAE Air Force. A UK Royal Navy Merlin helicopter (left) fitted with the prototype Vigilance pod is to make test flights shortly, as the pod has already completed ground testing.

Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman have teamed to offer a pod-mounted radar surveillance system that can easily be fitted to transport aircraft or medium-sized helicopters. The Vigilance system is being marketed as a viable alternative to expensive, role-dedicated airborne platforms. It also offers maritime and overland reconnaissance options, thanks to the versatility of modern AESA radar technology. The Vigilance system was unveiled at an airborne early warning conference in Malaysia recently.