Fact file: Smart bombs - Lantirn

Fact file: Smart bombs - Lantirn

	Introduction
	TV guidance
	Laser
	JDAM
	Lantirn
	Not so smart

Check the numbers below to see how the target is found

Various navigation and targeting equipment can be attached to aircraft to enhance their ability.

The "low altitude navigation and targeting infrared for night" or LANTIRN system - seen here on an F-16 jet - has a navigation pod with terrain-following radar [1] and an infrared sensor [2], which lets the pilot fly at a pre-set height, hugging the contours of the land, and see what is ahead even in bad weather.

A second, targeting pod has an infrared sensor [3] which shows the target to the pilot on a TV screen.

It also has laser equipment [4] with two functions: It can mark the target for laser-guided weapons (see the "Laser" section) or it can work out how far away the target is, passing the information to an aircraft system which controls weapon release to give greater accuracy in dropping a conventional, "dumb" bomb.

Together the pods cost about $4.5m.