Israel will equip its future Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters with an advanced version of Rafael's Spice bomb guidance kit, with the system having been improved to allow its use through a variety of attack techniques.
Based on lessons learned from 2012's combat involvement in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli air force is deploying the enhanced Spice kit with its Boeing F-15 and Lockheed F-16 combat aircraft. The Rafael-developed guidance kit is now a main system in the service's inventory, and has also been exported to a number of other air forces.
The Spice kit can be loaded with 100 optional targets in a given area, which can be checked against its imaging infrared/TV sensor, and has a reported circular error of probability of less than 3m (10ft).
A basic version is used on 908kg (2,000lb) Mk 84-series bombs, with a wing kit giving the weapon a range of more than 60km (32nm). It has also been adapted to 454kg Mk 83 bombs to offer a strike capability from more than 100km range.
Rafael has also adapted the design for use with 113kg bombs, with this enabling an F-16 to carry up to 16 small smart bombs.
Source: Flight International
