DMLGB Successful in AV-8B Aircraft Test

Released on Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Lockheed Martin successfully released a Paveway II Dual Mode Laser Guided Bomb (DMLGB) from an AV-8B aircraft in a recent test. The DMLGB provides additional flexibility and capability to the warfighter through multi-mode employment options, improved accuracy and increased sortie effectiveness. Lockheed Martin is the sole source provider of the DMLGB, an enhanced variant of the Paveway family.

The weapon was tested at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) China Lake test range in California. It exercised the full dual-mode capability and met all program expectations and government specifications. The AV-8B release is part of the Lockheed Martin DMLGB design verification and qualification program for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

"The DMLGB test was a complete success, performing within specification," said Joe Dauplaise, Integrated Product Team Lead at NAWCWD China Lake. "The weapon was released from 20,000 feet and performed within parameters that were set specifically for this test. We look forward to continuing the testing of the weapon's capabilities as we progress through the qualification test program."

The Paveway II DMLGB effectively separated from the aircraft and initiated Global Positioning System-aided/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) guidance to a preprogrammed target until acquiring the laser energy. Once the weapon acquired the laser energy, the DMLGB transitioned to laser guidance and successfully guided to the laser designated target which was located more than 0.5 miles from the preprogrammed target. The weapon impacted within specification requirements, demonstrating the designed feature of dual-mode capability.

The next phase of the flight test program involves of a series of Paveway II DMLGBs released from AV-8B aircraft to validate various design parameters.

Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Navy completed the Paveway II DMLGB demonstration program earlier this year, allowing the qualification program to begin. The qualification phase schedule supports the 2007 fielding of the DMLGB kits. During the demonstration phase, which ran from January through July of this year, 12 weapons were successfully released from F/A-18 aircraft and demonstrated weapon performance in various guidance modes.

Additionally, the U.S. Navy has recently released a Request For Information (RFI) for development of a weapon with moving target capability that the Paveway II DMLGB can already provide, to be used on F/A-18, AV-8 and JSF aircraft. "We are excited about answering the warfighter's urgent need for a dual-mode capability and welcome this opportunity to demonstrate the added value and capability of hitting moving and maritime targets," said John Pericci, Business Development director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Archbald, PA.

The DMLGB has the flexibility of fire-and-forget capability and terminal guidance. Lockheed Martin is currently under a $260 million contract to provide the U.S. Navy with DMLGB kits to add to their existing inventory.

Paveway is a generic term, developed by the U.S. Air Force, for a family of laser guided weapon systems. Lockheed Martin is a fully qualified provider of Paveway II laser guided bomb (LGB) kits and has delivered/and is delivering these systems to the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and international customers. Lockheed Martin supports the entire family of Paveway weapon systems, including being the sole source provider of both the Paveway II Dual Mode Laser Guided Bomb (DMLGB) kit and the Paveway laser guided training round (LGTR).