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Phase two of Sniper pod ready for implementation

  • Published
  • By Lisa Mathews
  • 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFMCNS) --  The implementation of phase two of the Sniper pod workload is expected to net an estimated growth of 76 percent in workload for the 402nd Electronics Maintenance Group. The Sniper pod is the next generation targeting pod for the Air Force.

Phase one was implemented in 2004 with a workload of approximately 4,300 hours; when phase two begins in June 2006, those hours will increase to more than 7,000.

"Normally it's (the Sniper pod) employed to put bombs on target," said Marty Hutchinson, chief of the 542nd Precision Attack Squadron. "In theater now, it's also being used as a non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform, or ISR.

"The guys in the aircraft can use the infrared sensor technology and see the bad guys on the ground, at night, in all weather, and can use that tool to guide ground forces to these people," he added.

Bob Brandt, with the 402nd EMXG Business Office, said the workload was coming to Robins through a work-share partnership with Lockheed Martin. Phase two will include electro/optical testing and repair.

"The required facilities will be in place by December this year, and the equipment should start arriving in January," Mr. Brandt said. "After checkout and training, we should be ready to stand up phase two of depot repair in the June timeframe of 2006.

In addition to the initial training, Lockheed will supply on-going engineering support to the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center throughout the life of the partnership, enabling base technicians to stay up-to-date with all the latest things coming down the road on Sniper.

"The majority of Sniper repair that is not vendor repair will be accomplished at Warner Robins so Lockheed Martin will not have to set up another repair facility to do the work," Mr. Brandt said.

Mr. Hutchinson said the partnership allows Lockheed to concentrate on production of the pod and the Center to concentrate on repair. Part of the agreement is for the repair work to be done in five days to ensure a 98 percent availability rate of the pod.

The pods are currently used on F-15 and F-16 aircraft. The potential exists for other platforms, such as the A-10 and B-1. Also, core Sniper technology will be used in the Joint Strike Fighter program.