Layton, UT — May 13, 2025 — KIHOMAC proudly announces the successful development and deployment of the Mojave Pod, an innovative Supersonic Imaging System designed to solve critical limitations in legacy video capture methods. This rapid engineering effort modified KIHOMAC’s MXU-1072/A Agile Combat Employment (ACE) Pod from an internal cargo solution into a fully independent, externally mounted, supersonic-capable observation platform.
Solving a Critical Operational Gap
Traditional aerial footage methods captured video from inside the flight deck, often through scratched and curved canopies. This degraded image quality and required a second crew member to operate the equipment—limiting video capture to dual-seat aircraft and increasing operational costs.
KIHOMAC’s solution: repurpose the ACE Pod into a Supersonic Imaging System that operates independently of aircraft power and crew. The Mojave Pod delivers high-quality video and live broadcasting directly to the pilot, solving a longstanding challenge with a cost-effective, modular design.
Engineering Excellence, Delivered Fast
Under an accelerated 33-business-day timeline, KIHOMAC’s engineering team, led by Luc Rochat, designed, manufactured, and tested key modifications, including:
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Windowed observation doors
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Internal camera mounts with vibration damping
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Fully independent power systems with custom wire harnesses, battery banks, and breaker boxes
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Integrated stress, acceleration, and temperature monitoring systems
Supporting partners like Vision Aero played a crucial role in providing integration expertise and ensuring seamless compatibility with the aircraft platform and onboard systems.
Flight-Proven Performance
All six test flights were conducted by Vision Aero using an F-1M Mirage, providing an ideal platform to validate performance across a range of flight conditions—including three supersonic flights at Naval Air Station Point Mugu and Mojave Air and Space Port. The system exceeded performance expectations, validating its capabilities across diverse flight conditions.
This milestone not only addressed an immediate operational need but also laid the foundation for future KIHOMAC external payload solutions that are reconfigurable, crew-independent, and aircraft-agnostic.
About KIHOMAC
KIHOMAC is a veteran-owned small business with over 20 years of experience delivering innovative engineering, manufacturing, and sustainment solutions for the Department of Defense and commercial partners. Our team specializes in rapid problem-solving, precision manufacturing, and mission-focused execution.
Huge thanks to our skilled folks at KIHOMAC, Vision Aero, and the large team that collaborated to make this all possible. 
