Terma unveils new F-35 Multi-Mission Pod model at Farnborough Airshow. (Janes/Olivia Savage)
Denmark-based Terma has unveiled a new F-35 Multi-Mission Pod (MMP) at Farnborough Airshow on 20 July.
Based on Terma's F-35 Gun Pod, the MMP enables the integration of additional payloads, allowing the aircraft to be tailored to specific mission requirements. The payloads include, but are not limited to, an electronic warfare (EW) jammer; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) payloads; a directed energy weapon; a synthetic aperture radar; and power generation, Steen Lynenskjold, chief commercial officer at Terma, told Janes.
The MMP retains the same outer mould line of the Gun Pod – the only certified pod for the F-35 fighter jet. This minimises flight certification requirements for payloads and enables quick and low cost integration of additional capabilities on the aircraft, the company stated.
Although the platform is still in development, the company hopes to start manufacturing the product by the beginning of 2023, Lynenskjold said.
While the concept of MMP has been discussed previously, Lynenskjold said that the MMP is a platform that is in production, following significant interest, rather than just a high-level conceptual idea.
Terma is working with General Dynamics on the project, who are integrating their solutions on the pod. However, the intention is to integrate other suppliers systems and solutions on the pod, Lynenskjold noted.
The MMP provides the additional physical space on the F-35 without compromising the aircraft radar signature, the company added.
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