JDAM
IOC: 1999
Total Production: 212,319
Total Program's Cost: USD$5.3 billion
JDAM ER
Origin:United States of America
Contractor/s:
Boeing
Description:
The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a tail kit which converts free fall unguided bombs into precision-guided weapons. The tail section contains a GPS/INS guidance system that guides the JDAM bomb through the selected target.
The JDAM bombs can be released in day/night and adverse weather at up to 15 miles away from the selected target. The Pentagon claims that JDAM bomb accuracy is about 13 meters CEP (Circular Error Probable), but according to Boeing sources JDAM accuracy is 9.6 meters CEP. Without the GPS guidance system using only the INS guidance system JDAM accuracy is 30 meters. The advanced capabilities of these smart bombs make possible to attack multiple targets simultaneously as it has been demonstrated during operational representative tests carried out by a B-2 Spirit dropping 16 JDAMs against several targets in a single mission.
The JDAM bombs will be available for all the fighting aircraft of the US inventory (B-1B, B-2A, B-52H, F-16C/D, F/A-18C/D, F/A-18E/F, F-15E, F/A-22, F-35, A-10A, S-3, F-117, AV-8B, and F-14A/B/D) as well as aircraft in development and foreign aircraft. The JDAM were used for the first time during operation Allied Force in 1999.
The JDAM ER program will extend the current range of JDAM bombs. The JDAM ER bomb will feature a range in excess of 35 miles through the addition of folding wings.
Boeing delivered the 100,000th JDAM tail kit on December 2, 2004, to the US military since production started in 1998. Initial production was 900 tail kits per year, but as of December 2004 and following 9/11 terrorist attacks, tail kit production boosted and stands at 3,000 units per month. These tail kits provide precision strike capability to Mk 80 series bombs through GPS-aided navigation. To date, the US Air Force has received more than 50,000 JDAMs, the US Navy roughly 37,000 units, and the remaining tail kits (10,000?) were produced for international customers.
Specifications
Performance: Ceiling 13,700 m (44,948 ft), CEP 9.6 m (31 ft), Max Range 56,000 m (183,727 ft)
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Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)
Last Updated: Sunday, August 24, 2008
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