Northrop Grumman has teamed with France's TDA Armements to produce a lower-cost alternative to the Boeing Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kit. Both turn free-fall gravity bombs into precision guided munitions.
The Northrop Grumman-developed GPS-Guided Munition (GGM) completed two proof-of-principal flight tests on a Dassault Mirage F1CT fighter earlier this month, and the partners are awaiting a low-rate initial production contract from France's DGA defence procurement agency to equip Mk82 225kg (500lb) bombs with the kit.
TDA would build the 11kg GGM tail kit under license as part of an offset deal tied to the French Navy's purchase of Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye aircraft. The GGM weapon could be in service within two years, says Northrop Grumman.
GGM system components include a pilot's bomb control unit and the tail kit. Unlike JDAM, there are no wiring connections since theinterface is via a radio-frequency datalink.
Other potential customers include Australia, Germany, Norway and the UK. Northrop Grumman has briefed the US Marine Corps and Air National Guard on the programme.
Source: Flight International
