Lockheed Martin Demonstrates Multi-Aircraft Networking with Sniper NTP

Why It Matters

By linking legacy fighters with fifth‑generation sensors, the Sniper NTP enhances joint ISR and strike coordination, giving the U.S. and allies a decisive edge in contested airspaces. The reduced latency and resilient communications also mitigate electronic‑warfare threats, preserving mission effectiveness.

Key Takeaways

• Sniper NTP enables real‑time data sharing between F‑16s
• Pod acts as network node via MANET and MADL
• Reduces kill‑chain latency from minutes to seconds
• Plug‑and‑play upgrade for legacy fighters without airframe changes
• Supports F‑35 stealth data transfer with low detection risk

Pulse Analysis

The Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod has been a workhorse for air forces worldwide, delivering high‑definition EO/IR imagery and laser designation for decades. As modern battlefields demand faster, more collaborative decision‑making, Lockheed Martin’s evolution into a Networked Targeting Pod reflects a broader shift toward edge‑computing and data‑centric warfare. By embedding multiple processors, secure datalinks, and a hybrid base station within the familiar pod envelope, the system leverages existing aircraft hardpoints while adding a digital backbone that can ingest, process, and distribute sensor data in near real‑time.

At the heart of the Sniper NTP’s capability is its ability to operate as a mobile ad‑hoc network (MANET) node and to interface with the Multifunction Advanced Datalink (MADL) used by the F‑35. These links, supported by Lockheed’s 5G.MIL initiative, provide high‑throughput, low‑latency communications that automatically re‑establish after jamming or link loss. The pod’s edge‑computing architecture allows it to fuse imagery, track algorithms, and targeting coordinates locally, then broadcast the refined information to nearby aircraft and ground stations. This plug‑and‑play approach means legacy platforms can gain fifth‑generation data‑sharing capabilities without costly airframe redesigns.

Strategically, the Sniper NTP serves as a bridge between fourth‑ and fifth‑generation fleets, enabling stealthy F‑35s to share precise target cues with non‑stealthy fighters that can then engage with long‑range munitions. The resulting compression of the kill chain—from minutes of sensor‑to‑shooter latency to seconds—enhances survivability and mission success in contested environments where electronic warfare is prevalent. As allied air forces modernize, the demand for such interoperable, resilient networking solutions is likely to drive further adoption, positioning Lockheed Martin as a key supplier of next‑generation battle‑space connectivity.

Lockheed Martin Demonstrates Multi-Aircraft Networking with Sniper NTP

Published Feb 3 2026

Lockheed Martin has completed a multi‑aircraft flight demonstration of its new Sniper Networked Targeting Pod (NTP), validating the capability to exchange targeting data in real time between two F‑16 fighters and a ground station, according to a company statement released on Jan. 30 2026. The demo, whose timing and location were not disclosed, follows the unveiling of the system in November 2025.

The event marks the inaugural flight test of the Sniper NTP in a networked configuration. Lockheed Martin says this represents a step forward in turning a long‑established electro‑optical/infrared (EO/IR) targeting pod into a “battlespace connector,” capable of sharing sensor data across platforms in near‑real time.

The demonstration was conducted with support from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and its 5G.MIL initiative, which focuses on resilient, high‑speed communications for military applications. According to the company, the flight validated the ability of two upgraded Sniper pods to exchange targeting information with each other and simultaneously transmit that data to a ground station, creating a shared tactical picture for both airborne and ground users.

From Sensor to Network Node

Unlike traditional targeting pods, which primarily serve the host aircraft, the Sniper NTP is designed to act as a networked node within a wider command‑and‑control architecture. Lockheed Martin says the pod can connect through mobile ad‑hoc network (MANET) radios and secure datalinks, enabling aircraft to exchange sensor data directly and to re‑establish connectivity automatically if a link is disrupted.

Image: The new Sniper Networked Targeting Pod (image credit: Lockheed Martin)

The latter is an important feature in light of today’s contested environments where jamming or intermittent connectivity is expected. The increasing use of electronic warfare to disrupt communications and data transmission can be noted across current conflicts, most notably in Ukraine where electronic warfare has been used to disrupt UAV control links and targeting systems.

Lockheed Martin says this allows latency to be reduced between detection, identification, and engagement. This is especially important as today’s scenarios become increasingly complex with the introduction of new advanced threats, and quickly sharing information becomes critical for situational awareness.

“In today’s battlespace, seconds matter,” Lockheed Martin said in its statement, emphasizing that intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) functions are increasingly executed in parallel rather than sequentially. The firm argues that the ability to move trusted data instantly between platforms can compress the so‑called “kill chain” from minutes to seconds.

Building on a Proven System

As previously reported by The Aviationist when the Sniper NTP was unveiled in November 2025, the new pod builds on the widely fielded AN/AAQ‑33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) by integrating a Hybrid Base Station (HBS) featuring multiple processors and datalinks. This integration effectively turns the pod into an airborne communications and edge‑computing hub.

Image: Infographic showing a concept of operation of the new Sniper Networked Targeting Pod (image credit: Lockheed Martin)

Externally, the pod retains the familiar shape of the Sniper ATP, with the addition of a conformal section under the mid‑body that is believed to house antenna arrays for the new datalink functions.

According to Lockheed Martin, the HBS architecture is flexible enough to support multiple waveforms and processors. Among those mentioned are the Multifunction Advanced Datalink (MADL) for interoperability with the F‑35 Lightning II and MANET radios for mesh networking between fourth‑generation aircraft and other assets.

This configuration is intended to allow legacy fighters to receive and act on data generated by fifth‑generation platforms without requiring structural or avionics modifications to the aircraft itself. The ability to integrate MADL is particularly important, as it allows the F‑35 to maintain its low probability of detection (LPD) / low probability of intercept (LPI) while transferring data—something that does not apply to Link 16.

Lockheed Martin has described the Sniper NTP as a “plug‑and‑play” upgrade path that can add secure communications and processing capability to existing fleets. This would suggest that platforms already cleared for the use of the Sniper ATP can seamlessly integrate the new variant.

Image: U.S. Air Force staff members preparing an F‑16 Fighting Falcon to receive a Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (image credit: U.S. Air National Guard)

Bridging Fourth‑ and Fifth‑Generation Aircraft

One of the key concepts associated with the Sniper NTP is its potential role as a bridge between fourth‑ and fifth‑generation platforms. In a concept of operations illustrated by Lockheed Martin, an F‑35 detects and identifies a target using its onboard sensors and passes precise coordinates through MADL to Sniper NTP‑equipped F‑16s. Those aircraft can then relay the information via MANET to a command centre to task further assets or engage the target on their own using long‑range weapons.

Lockheed Martin has stated that this approach allows the F‑35 to remain stealthy while enabling other aircraft to contribute to the engagement. “Without compromising stealth, an F‑35 can identify targets and pass precise coordinates through Sniper NTP to an F‑16 which can then engage the target using long‑range weapons,” the company said when unveiling the system.

After the first flight demonstrated the networking concept between two Sniper NTP‑equipped F‑16s, follow‑on scenarios would likely include the F‑35 and data transfer through MADL.

Image: F‑35C, F‑35A and F‑35B Lightning II fighter jets (image credit: U.S. Air Force)

Underlying Sniper ATP

The underlying AN/AAQ‑33 Sniper ATP remains one of the most widely fielded EO/IR targeting systems, with more than 1,650 pods delivered and more than five million operational hours logged in U.S. and allied air forces. The system provides long‑range target detection, precision identification and laser designation for a broad range of strike and ISR missions.

The pod combines a high‑definition mid‑wave infrared sensor with a stabilized TV camera and a dual‑mode laser designator/illuminator. This sensor suite allows aircrews to acquire, track and identify targets at significant stand‑off ranges, while generating weapon‑quality coordinates to support GPS‑guided and laser‑guided munitions.

Lockheed Martin highlights that the pod’s advanced image‑processing and automated tracking algorithms significantly reduce pilot workload, enabling stable tracking of moving targets even during high‑speed maneuvers. In addition to its strike role, the Sniper ATP has become a valuable non‑traditional ISR asset during its many combat deployments.

The pod can also record and downlink full‑motion video with metadata to ground controllers or other aircraft, supporting real‑time coordination in dynamic environments. This way, the Sniper ATP can provide overhead surveillance for ground units, adding another layer of security.

Image: A Chinese H‑6 as seen through a ROCAF F‑16V Sniper ATP (image credit: ROCAF)

As previously reported by The Aviationist, the pod’s high‑resolution IR imagery has proven useful even in air‑to‑air contexts, being adopted to aid in the identification of tracks of interest by Quick Reaction Alert aircraft. A notable case was Taiwanese F‑16Vs using their Sniper pods to capture detailed IR footage of PLA Navy J‑15 fighters during a close encounter.