Sensor systems for fighter jets gets Lockheed Martin $233 million U.S. Navy contract
NewsOctober 21, 2025
ORLANDO, Fla. Lockheed Martin won a $233 million firm-fixed-price contract to deliver IRST21 Block II systems -- which the company describes as a passive, long-range sensor system used on fighter jets that uses infrared search and track technology to detect and track airborne threats -- to the U.S. Navy and Air National Guard.
The Block II variant of the IRST21 features cutting-edge optics, advanced processors, and specialized algorithms that substantially increase threat-detection range and provide tracking and targeting data to support beyond-visual-range missile engagements, say Lockheed Martin officials.
The Lockheed Martin announcement cites an example of the use of the IRST21 Block II sensor pod: On the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, IRST21 is mounted on the nose of the centerline fuel tank, working in tandem with the aircraft’s AN/APG-79 radar to maintain effectiveness in radar-denied or heavy electronic attack environments.
