Forum: F-16 Armament & Stores

Looks like Laser-JDAM is figured out. Should arrive sometime in 2009....easily installed in the field to existing kits !

------------

http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/200 ... 1c_nr.html

Boeing Awarded Laser JDAM Contract

ST. LOUIS, June 11, 2007 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a $28 million U.S. Air Force quick reaction capability contract for delivery of its Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (LJDAM) weapon system.

The contract will add 600 laser seekers (400 for the U.S. Air Force and 200 for the U.S. Navy) to the services' existing inventory of 500-pound bombs. Boeing will deliver the systems by June 2009.

"Laser JDAM's performance continues to exceed our highest expectations," said Dan Jaspering, Boeing Direct Attack program manager. "This weapon will fill a significant gap in capability currently encountered by our warfighting customers, specifically the ability to attack high-speed moving targets and targets lacking accurate coordinate data."

During recent demonstration tests at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-15E Strike Eagles flying at 24,000 feet released 12 500-pound LJDAMs that hit within lethal range of multiple high-speed moving targets. Using onboard targeting pods, the launch aircraft laser-designated the roofs of the target vehicles and guided the weapons to successful impacts.

The Laser JDAM sensor is a modular kit that is easily installed in the field to the front of existing JDAM weapons. The laser sensor further enhances the highly capable Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System JDAM into one of the most mission flexible, low-cost weapons available in the world today.

Initial production deliveries for the U.S. military are scheduled to begin early next year. Several potential international customers have requested LJDAM price and availability information.

F-16.net Sponsor

So, any pictures yet? I've been curious how much of an effect the laser gubbins will have on the length of the weapon, a factor that will be critical for bay environments. Seeming as all the guidance is already in the rear I guess it should be shorter than an equivilant Enhanced Paveway but that's just based off conjecture.

Nice to see the USAF finally adopt a DGB...

I've got no pictures but I can tell you that they put the laser in the nose in the same housing that is used for a DSU-33, prox sensor. Looks no different, you've got to look close to tell which one you've got.

Welcome 705

Cheers Jammer. That's pretty useful to know. Means there are no complications for bay carraige which is good!

Is there a side conduit to pip the information to the back of the weapon (a bit like EP2 (UK) in reverse)?

This isn't the long term solution. It is a quick fielding of a demostrated weapon to get a limited number to the field while there is a standard competition for who wins the long term contract. It looks like a regular JDAM with a DSU-33 nose kit to make Seek Eagle issues easy. Should be in the field around April 2008.

I think SafetyStick talked about this on his f-16.net post in "weapons game" thread.
http://www.raf.mod.uk/equipment/enhancedpaveway.cfm

When he told me what it was I wondered why the USAF hadn't use it yet.

Forum Veteran Joined: Jul 01, 2007 - 07:22 PM Posts: 620

It'll be nice to only have to carry one type of weapon someday.

That's called a nuke, you only need one.

Forum Veteran Joined: Jul 01, 2007 - 07:22 PM Posts: 620

Yeah, but that's kind of a one-way sort of deal. I don't know about everyone else, but I always try to make my total number of landings equal my total number of takeoffs. Very Happy

Forum: F-16 Armament & Stores

Laser-JDAM Production Contract Awarded....