Lockheed Martin has announced that it has won a contract from the Canadian armed forces for 36 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods, making it the seventh international customer for the product.

The Orlando contract, extends until 2020 with spares, support equipment and integrated logistics support.

The pods are also used by the U.S. Air Force and the Air National Guard. What exactly do they do?

Incorporating a high-resolution, mid-wave third-generation FLIR; a dual-mode laser; and a CCD-TV, along with a laser spot tracker and a laser marker, the Sniper ATP vastly improves target detection/identification. The advanced image processing algorithms, combined with rock-steady stabilization techniques, outperform the best systems in service today. Fully compatible with the latest standoff weaponry, the pod provides automatic tracking and laser designation of tactical size targets via real-time imagery presented on cockpit displays.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando will perform the work with support from Lockheed Martin Canada. The Bethesda, Md.-based defense contractor employs about 140,000 people worldwide, including more than 5,000 people in Central Florida.