Boeing Exploring New Variants Of Joint Direct Attack
Munition
By Marc Selinger
January 28, 2004
The Boeing Co. is exploring new versions of its Joint Direct Attack
Munition (JDAM), including a variant that would go after
laser-designated targets, company representatives said Jan.
27.
While existing JDAMs use satellite-guided navigation to steer
themselves toward target coordinates, Boeing has been studying the
possibility of modifying the bomb tail kits so they could also
strike targets chosen by air- or ground-based lasers, said David
Martin, who manages Boeing's international and derivative work on
JDAM. Boeing has been using company money to conduct modeling and
simulation of the laser variant and hopes to convince the U.S.
military to launch a program this year.
Company representatives said giving JDAM a laser capability would
provide an extra tool for air forces without causing the munition's
cost to skyrocket.
"We see a very strong market" for the laser variant, Martin
said.
Boeing also is reviving the idea of a JDAM equipped with wings to
provide extended range (JDAM-ER). In May, Boeing and the Australian
government plan to demonstrate such a variant with wings made by
Australia's Hawker deHavilland. The JDAM-ER is designed to have a
range of about 50 nautical miles, more than three times that of a
regular JDAM, Martin said. The increased reach would give pilots
more target options and allow them to strike targets from safer
distances.
In 2000, Boeing demonstrated a JDAM-ER variant for the U.S.
government using wings made by MBDA. Although the American military
has made no firm commitment to an extended range version, Martin
said he remains hopeful that it will eventually do so.
While Martin believes the JDAM-ER technology would be best suited
for the 500-pound version of JDAM, he said the laser version could
be adapted to all three weight-classes: 500, 1,000 and 2,000
pounds.
Besides the U.S. Air Force and Navy, about 20 countries have
already bought existing versions of JDAMs or are considering doing
so. The U.S. Defense Department announced late Jan. 26 that Boeing
is being awarded a $215 million contract from the Air Force to
integrate JDAMs on military aircraft of other nations.
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