Targeting pod

Many targeting pods or installations use the same sensor as the laser spot tracker to receive the reflected rangefinder signal, so they can perform both ranging and tracking.

LRMTS installations (particularly fixed internal units) of the 1970s often did not have a laser of sufficient power and slant range to designate targets, although they could provide rangefinding.

The basic electro-optical (EO) sensor is essentially a video camera, usually with a magnification lens, helping the aircrew to locate and identify targets.

Some pods supplement the basic visual EO with forward-looking infrared (FLIR) to aid in locating and identifying targets in darkness.

Currently, laser and infrared systems are more common than radar because they are less easily detected by adversaries, providing less warning to the target.