Targeting pod detaches from RAF Typhoon and falls into Yorkshire field
During a sortie on Jan. 17, 2024 “a pylon” detached from a Royal Air Force (RAF) Coningsby-based Eurofighter Typhoon jet and fell in a field in Haisthorpe, near Bridlington, in East Yorkshire.
The service said that an investigation has begun after the incident.
As the photos shared by BBC show, apparently a Litening targeting pod was attached to the pylon.
A RAF spokesperson said that there was no damage to any property and no reports of any injuries and that the equipment has been recovered.
At the moment the targeting pod and its pylon “landed” in the field, a loud “thud” was heard. Shaun Colman explained to BBC that it was “lucky” the equipment came down where it did and not in the village.
Former RAF pilot and now aviation journalist David Learmount said it was the “first time in years” he had heard of a pylon falling off.
He added that some sort of error when the pylons were being mounted was the most likely cause of the failure.
“Either that, and I think this is slightly less likely, a failure in one of the attachment parts,” he pointed out.
Mr. Learmount said there was a lot of military activity in the skies over Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.
However, he said, due to the rural landscape of the region, any objects falling from planes were likely to land in “open country”.
Litening
Northrop Grumman’s Litening is an electro-optical/infrared targeting pod that detects, acquires, identifies and tracks targets at extended ranges. It enables a wide range of missions, including precision targeting, air superiority, close air support, surveillance and humanitarian assistance. The pod’s modular design allows for upgrades over time, to keep pace with evolving mission needs.
The newest upgrade to Litening offers significantly increased range and resolution, enhanced air-to-air modes and new pilot workload reduction features. The three-aperture configuration allows for larger color daylight, mid-wave IR, short-wave IR and long-wave IR sensors. With Large Aperture, Litening covers a wider portion of the spectrum than ever before, leaving nowhere to hide.
Litening Large Aperture offers a 50% increase in resolution and an operationally significant increase in range. Advanced video processing algorithms and a more powerful graphics processing unit further enhance image clarity to enable faster decision making.
Litening’s modular design allows for upgrades over time, to keep pace with evolving mission needs.
Royal Air Force Coningsby
RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire is one of two RAF Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Stations which protect UK airspace. RAF Lossiemouth is the other.
It is home to two frontline, combat-ready squadrons and is the training station for Typhoon pilots.
Almost 3,000 Service Personnel, Civil Servants, and contractors work at RAF Coningsby.
Photo by Crown Copyright
