Litening 5 targeting pods ordered for the Luftwaffe’s Eurofighters

The German parliament has authorised the procurement of 90 Rafael Litening 5 targeting pods for the Luftwaffe’s Eurofighter Typhoon fleet, the Israeli manufacturer announced on 26 August 2025.

Reporting on the procurement in the German press noted that Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) actually issued a contract valued at around EUR 350 million for 90 Litening 5 pods in June 2025.

Litening targeting pods are the most widely used such systems worldwide, with more than 2,000 units delivered and in operation with 28 different air forces.

The Lufwaffe currently employs the Litening 3 pod with its Eurofighters. The Litening 5 pod is a fifth-generation version of the system, first introduced in 2019, that features advanced optics and offers enhanced target generation performance. The resolution of the short and medium-wave infrared cameras in the Litening 5 pod have been improved and the systems also features an optional synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capability for wide-area, all-weather imaging out to 100 km.

The Litening 5 targeting pod supports both air-to-ground and air-to-air missions, including ground moving target indication (GMTI), multi-target tracking and automatic target recognition. For air-to-air operations it enhances target identification at range, supports detection of threats with low radar cross-sections and provides missile cueing when integrated with the host platform. It also offers capabilities for detecting and engaging unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), supporting operational flexibility against a diverse array of threats.

“Germany’s move from Litening 3 to Litening 5 reflects both satisfaction with system performance and the Bundeswehr’s emphasis on improved precision, survivability, and future growth potential,” Rafael stated in a press release. “This mirrors a wider European trend of upgrading existing fleets through advanced sensors rather than relying solely on new platforms.”

The Luftwaffe is thus following in the footsteps of the Royal Air Force and Italian Air Force, the Eurofighters of which are already flying with Litening 5 pods.