How many pounds is a JDAM?

How many pounds is a JDAM?

JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, giving them a published range of up to 15 nautical miles (28 km). JDAM-equipped bombs range from 500 pounds (230 kg) to 2,000 pounds (910 kg).

How much does a 500lb JDAM cost?

What aircraft drops JDAMs?

JDAM enables multiple weapons to be directed against single or multiple targets on a single pass. JDAM is currently compatible with B-1B, B-2A, B-52H, AV-8B, F-15E, F/A-18C/D/E/F, F-16C/D and F-22 aircraft.

How does a JDAM bomb work?

In the air, the JDAM’s GPS receiver processes signals from GPS satellites to keep track of its own position. As with other smart bombs, the control system adjusts the flight fins to “steer” the bomb in the right direction. When everything goes exactly right, the bombs generally hit within a few feet of their targets.

What does JDAM stand for?

Joint Direct Attack Munition
The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or “dumb bombs” into all-weather “smart” munitions.

How much is a GBU-12?

How much do precision bombs cost?

Per the Air Force budget, a standard, unguided Mk 82 500-pound class bomb has a unit price of $4,000, while 2,000-pound class Mk 84 unguided bombs cost $16,000 apiece.

How much do smart bombs cost?

Not compared to the most sophisticated munitions. Cruise missiles, the smart bomb’s self-propelled cousins, cost a million dollars each. A JDAM kit costs a mere $21,000. That’s why military analysts expect that the U.S. will rely heavily on retrofitted JDAM bombs in a second Iraq war.

What fires a JDAM?

JDAM is a guided air-to-surface weapon that uses either the 2,000-pound BLU-109/MK 84, the 1,000-pound BLU-110/MK 83 or the 500-pound BLU-111/MK 82 warhead as the payload.

How many JDAMs can a b52 carry?

The conventional weapons payload includes eight AGM-84 Harpoon missiles, four AGM-142 Raptor missiles, 51,500lb bombs, 301,000lb bombs, 20 AGM-86C conventional air-launched cruise missiles (CALCM), 12 joint stand-off weapons (JSOW), 12 joint direct-attack munitions (JDAM) and 16 wind-corrected munitions dispenser (WCMD …

How accurate are smart bombs?

An Air Force study found that LGBs were “100 to 200 times as effective as conventional bombs against very hard targets and 20 to 40 times more effective against soft and area targets.” Laser-guided bombs were used in about 10 percent of the attacks on enemy tanks but accounted for 22 percent of the tanks destroyed.

How are JDAMs launched?

With the help of GPS, this circular error probable is reduced to about 40 feet, and the weapons often land a single bomb-length away from their target. JDAMs can be launched from high or low altitude. They can be released from a dive or level flight or be tossed from a climbing aircraft.

What’s the weight of a JDAM guided bomb?

JDAM-equipped bombs range from 500 pounds (227 kg) to 2,000 pounds (907 kg). When installed on a bomb, the JDAM kit is given a GBU (Guided Bomb Unit) nomenclature, superseding the Mark 80 or BLU (Bomb, Live Unit) nomenclature of the bomb to which it is attached.

What is the joint direct attack munition ( JDAM )?

Joint Direct Attack Munition. The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or “dumb bombs”, into all-weather precision-guided munitions.

What’s the accuracy rate of a JDAM drop?

More than 450 JDAMs were dropped during this testing, recording an unprecedented 95 percent system reliability while achieving a 9.6-meter accuracy rate. JDAM performance has been demonstrated in operationally representative tests including drops through clouds, rain and snow.

Is there a warranty on a 500 pound JDAM?

The 500-pound JDAM is to be tested and integrated initially on the F/A-18C/D and B-2. The JDAM contractor has provided a 20 year warranty on the tail guidance kit. If it breaks, the contractor will fix it or replace it at no charge to the customer.