Boeing is making progress on developing an extended range version of the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), company officials say.
The weapons recently completed initial wind-tunnel tests, says Kerry Bush, Boeing's JDAM programme manager. It will enter into preliminary design review this July.
"We expect to be in production with extended range in the 2014-2015 timeframe," he says.
The initial extended range variant is a 500lbs-class weapon, Bush says.
But the weapon is not a US Department of Defense programme, rather it is being co-developed with a US ally. Boeing is not able to disclose which nation is purchasing the weapon, but Australia has dabbled in designing such a JDAM wing-kit as back as in 2006.
Boeing says the addition of the wing-kit gives the weapon three times the range of a normal JDAM. Future developments might include a powered variant, Bush says. A powered version could have 10 times the range of a conventional JDAM.
Source: Flight International
