Tel Aviv: The Rafael’s LITENING pod is used by the RAF on its Typhoons to improve the kill rate of APKWS laser-guided rockets when used against small drones.
LITENING is an electro-optical/infrared targeting pod that detects, acquires, identifies, and tracks targets at extended range. In practical terms, that means a Typhoon can use the pod to spot a drone, maintain a stable track, and support precise weapon employment in poor visibility or at night.
Rafael also describes newer LITENING variants as having air-to-air capabilities for the modern battlespace, which supports the idea that the pod can help with drone engagement and situational awareness.
The RAF’s recent counter-drone upgrade is the APKWS system. APKWS turns 70mm rockets into laser-guided weapons, giving Typhoons a much lower-cost way to engage drones than firing expensive air-to-air missiles.
The UK Ministry of Defence said this should help the RAF shoot down many more drones at a much lower cost.
The Rafael LITENING pod helps the pilot find and hold the target, while the laser-guided rocket uses that targeting information to guide onto the drone. That combination is especially useful against small, numerous, cheap drones where using premium missiles would be uneconomical.
Sources in Rafael said that this reflects a broader shift in air combat toward cheaper interceptors for drone-heavy threats.
RAF Typhoons have already flown operational sorties with APKWS in the Middle East, showing the RAF is moving fast to field a layered counter-drone solution. LITENING supports that mission by improving the Typhoon’s precision sensor suite, but it is the weapon loadout that provides the actual shoot-down capability.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
