Boeing Starts Serial Production of 555km-Range JDAM LR Glide Bomb Kit

Boeing has started serial production of the JDAM LR (Long Range) glide bomb kit, which can be integrated on aircraft already using JDAM. The contract from the US Air Force for supplying the BSU-111/B (PDU) Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range precision guidance kit is worth $75 million.

The maximum range of the JDAM LR is over 555 km, and it was tested earlier this year by the US Navy from a carrier-based F/A-18 fighter to a range of approximately 370.4 km. The kit can be integrated on aircraft that already use JDAM kits without any problems.

However, the operation of the JDAM LR may have its own nuances. For example, it requires the aircraft to drop the bomb from high altitude, which means the aircraft remains in relative safety. But this also means that the real range of the JDAM LR, when counting from the front line to the engaged target, will be less.

The JDAM LR is vulnerable to electronic warfare assets, which can negatively affect its accuracy. The longer the bomb flies, the more time these systems have to interfere with it.