US Air Force Clears JDAM Long-Range Weapon for Production

The US Air Force has cleared the JDAM Long-Range (JDAM LR) weapon for initial production, marking a major milestone in the program's development.

The JDAM LR is a joint project between the US Air Force and Navy, designed to provide pilots with long-range standoff strike capability. It builds on the existing JDAM family of guidance kits that convert unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions.

Boeing was awarded an undefinitized contract worth $75 million to manufacture the JDAM LR's BSU-111/B Payload Delivery Units for the US Navy, and has also invested nearly $100 million in developing the weapon. The company is now preparing manufacturing space at its St. Charles, Missouri facility.

The JDAM LR can travel distances greater than 300 nautical miles (556 kilometers/345 miles) while carrying a 500-pound-class payload. It is designed to integrate with any aircraft already certified to carry baseline JDAM conventional precision-guided weapons.