Poland orders MS-110 recce pod from Raytheon

Poland has ordered the MS-110 multi-spectral reconnaissance pod from Raytheon, which will enhance the country’s ability to locate hard-to-find objects such as submarines or camouflaged vehicles.

BLUF: 

• Poland has ordered the MS-110 airborne reconnaissance pod from Raytheon.
• It could be applicable to maritime surveillance or fitted to Poland’s F-16s, which would improve their reconnaissance capabilities. 

Poland has ordered seven of the MS-110 airborne multi-spectral reconnaissance pod from Raytheon, with deliveries and integration set to be completed by August 2031, the company announced on January 28.  

With this procurement, valued at $197 million (£158.94 million/€190.54 million), Poland becomes the first NATO state to procure the system and the fourth nation globally. It is understood that Taiwan is one user and Raytheon reported a contract in 2024 to upgrade the legacy DB-110 for a Middle Eastern customer. 

Raytheon states that MS-110 is compatible with the F-16, Gripen, and a variety of other fast jets. Poland did initiate an upgrade of its F-16s to the Viper configuration, which was reported to include a Sniper targeting pod. So, the MS-110 may not be intended for those aircraft and could be fitted to the FA-50PL, the South Korean aircraft that Poland is procuring, or even some of the country’s larger UAVs. 

• F-16V Viper: Poland picks Lockheed Martin to modernise its fleet – Calibre Defence 
• Poland’s second SIGINT ship takes to the sea – Calibre Defence
• Raytheon demonstrates AI-enabled radar warning receiver – Calibre Defence  

“The MS-110 system brings advanced capability by pushing next-generation processing to the tactical edge to defeat camouflage and decoys in near real time,” said Dan Theisen, president of Advanced Products and Solutions.

Dan is referring to the MS-110’s software here, which is specifically designed to use the multi-spectral imagery produced by the pod. This means the ability to recognise different patterns from across the electro-magnetic spectrum to identify changes. 

What is multi-spectral imaging?

Multispectral imaging is a technology that captures sensor data simultaneously across three or more distinct spectral regions or “bands” of the electromagnetic spectrum. While traditional reconnaissance systems often rely on single-band imagery (such as standard visible light or thermal infrared), a multispectral sensor like the MS-110 images the same scene across several wavelengths, including those invisible to the human eye, such as near-infrared and medium-wave infrared.

These individual bands are overlaid to create a composite “true colour” or “false colour” image. This allows pilots to discriminate between subtle features of a target that would be indistinguishable in greyscale imagery, such as distinguishing camouflage netting from natural vegetation or identifying specific material properties of an object. By combining these bands, the system aims to defeat enemy concealment and deception while maintaining high resolution at extreme standoff ranges.

Tech profile: MS-110

The MS-110 is a next-generation multispectral airborne reconnaissance system designed for long-range, wide-area imagery collection during both day and night operations. It offers significant intelligence advantages over legacy systems through its ability to provide high-resolution imagery across multiple visual and infrared bands, enabling rapid target classification and a shortened “sensor-to-shooter” timeline, according to Raytheon. 

MS-110 specifications
Sensor Type	Line scanning TDI; 6-channels
Collection Modes	Spot, Wide Area, Persistent Imaging
Field of Regard	Roll ±90° / Pitch ±20° max
Power	340 W
Length	138.43 cm (54.5 inches)
Diameter	66.55 cm (26.2 inches)
Sensor weight	156.94 kg (346 lbs)

 

You might see above that it uses something called line scanning TDI – that stands for line scanning time delay integration. That means that instead of taking a single “snapshot” like a traditional camera, it builds an image one line of pixels at a time, using a specialised sensor to “stack” exposures. Here’s how it works: 

1. Line Scanning: As the aircraft flies, the sensor views a narrow strip of the ground perpendicular to the flight path. Think of it like a document scanner moving across a page.
2. The “Moving Target” Problem: At high speeds or in low light, a single line exposure would often be blurry or too dark.
3. Time Delay and Integration (TDI): The sensor contains multiple rows of detectors (the “6-channels” mentioned in the MS-110 specs). As the aircraft moves, the same point on the ground passes under each row in succession.
4. Charge Transfer: The sensor electronically shifts the captured signal (the “charge”) from one row to the next at a speed that perfectly matches the aircraft’s ground speed.
5. Signal Summation: By the time the signal reaches the last row, it has collected and amplified  light from the same spot multiple times. This “integrates” the signal, resulting in a much brighter and sharper image than a single row could produce.

Calibre comment: Why Poland needs more sensors

Poland is gearing up to defend against the possibility of a Russian attack, which is seen as increasingly likely. In that eventuality, it is possible that Poland would have to defend itself for a period of time without a great deal of outside assistance. This would likely include the need to suppress and destroy Russia’s air defence systems so that its aircraft could range more freely throughout the theatre and shape the opening phases of the war. So, reconnaissance systems that can be used day or night, and against camouflaged targets from a relatively long range will help the Polish Air Force find and engage targets that might be small, well-concealed, and dispersed. 

Camouflage and concealment has been used extensively in Ukraine leading to a multitude of strikes against mock-ups and decoys, rather than live systems. This has the result of using up expensive munitions for no effect, and also means that a sortie or strike capacity has been wasted. Being able to differentiate between real and decoy targets, will likely be one area that has driven Poland’s MS-110 procurement. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on January 30, 2026. The lead image shows the MS-110 integrated onto an aircraft. Credit: Raytheon.