OPERATIONAL US Air Force pilots have dropped Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) in an early look at the performance of the weapon, now under development by McDonnell Douglas (MDC). The JDAM is a tailkit which adds global-positioning/inertial-navigation guidance to 900kg bombs.
During the so-called integrated-systems experiment at Nellis AFB, Nevada, 22 JDAMs were built-up, tested and loaded on to USAF Lockheed Martin F-16s for six bombing missions. MDCJDAM programme manager Charlie Dillow says that the bombs exceeded the 13m design accuracy, achieving a precision of about 10m. The test was intended to provide information to support a decision on low-rate initial production.
MDC and the USAF are continuing development and operational testing of the JDAM on the F-16, and trials on the US Navy's MDCF-18 have just begun. Testing on the Northrop Grumman B-2 is to begin in March. Development of a JDAM tailkit for 450kg bombs is running about a year behind that of the baseline weapon, and initial testing will be conducted on the F-16 as a surrogate for the Lockheed Martin/ Boeing F-22.
Source: Flight International
