JDAM, Laser JDAM Kit Contract for USAF and Allied Nations, Including S’pore, Philippines and Indonesia
It will involve the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program for several U.S. allied nations that also use JDAM and LJDAM kits, including Israel, Turkey, and several Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
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admin on Oktober 9, 2024
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Boeing has been awarded a contract worth US$600 million (RM2.4 billion) to supply Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (LJDAM) systems.
The contract, issued by the United States Air Force (USAF), is expected to be fulfilled by September 2035.
It will involve the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program for several U.S. allied nations that also use JDAM and LJDAM kits, including Israel, Turkey, and several Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Malaysia is also a user of the JDAM kits.
The contract encompasses technical services, system integration for aircraft and weapons, and support work for existing JDAM and LJDAM platforms.
The US$600 million (RM2.4 billion) contract will enable Boeing to provide critical support to the USAF and its allied nations, enhancing their preparedness to counter threats with increased reliability and precision.
In Singapore, both JDAM and LJDAM systems are used by F-16 and F-15 fighter jets, and likely by the F-35B, which the republic is expected to receive in 2026.
Indonesia’s F-16 fighter jets are also likely to use these systems, while for the Philippines, they may be deployed on its South Korean-built FA-50 fighter jets.
The JDAM is a guidance kit that converts unguided gravity bombs, often referred to as “dumb bombs,” into high-precision bombs that can be used in all-weather conditions.
The system employs Inertial Guidance in combination with the Global Positioning System (GPS), allowing it to strike targets up to 28 km away.
The modular JDAM kit can be fitted onto bombs weighing between 230 kg and 910 kg, transforming them into smart bombs capable of hitting both stationary and moving targets with high accuracy.
To enhance JDAM’s versatility, the USAF and Boeing collaborated to integrate a laser guidance system, creating the Laser JDAM.
By using a laser seeker known as DSU-38/B, the system can now engage moving targets, a capability previously unavailable with the standard JDAM kit. – DSA