Douglas Barrie/LONDON
THE UK MINISTRY of Defence (MoD) is funding a Defence Research Agency study into the feasibility of modifying the Royal Air Force's store of iron bombs with bolt-on guidance kits.
Under Staff Target (Air) 1248, the RAF is looking at fitting terminal-guidance kits to its stock of 455kg and 245kg general-purpose bombs. Senior RAF officers admit that, as the next century approaches, "dumb bombs", are little more than useless.
The RAF has talked with the French air force over its Armament Air-Sol Modulaire programme to develop a smart bomb.
The French requirement also includes a solid-propellant booster to provide a limited stand-off launch capability.
The RAF's emerging requirement does not include this, being described by one source as being "of the cheap-and-cheerful school".
British Aerospace, Hunting, and GEC-Marconi are understood to be interested in addressing the requirement should the MoD eventually release an invitation to tender. Sources say that is likely to emerge over the next two years.
The RAF has also considered US programmes such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and the global-positioning-system (GPS)-aided targeting system/GPS-aided munition projects (GATS/GAM).
US firms are also likely to be interested in addressing any potential RAF requirement, including McDonnell Douglas and Lockheed Martin (offering JDAM-type packages); Rockwell (with its inertial aided munition package) and Northrop Grumman, with its GATS/GAM.
Source: Flight International