News Review: JDAM-ER flies at Woomera | ADM Oct 06

1 October 2006

2 / 3 free articles left.

An Australian-developed wing kit has transformed the range of Boeing's GPS-guided JDAM 'smart' bomb.

The RAAF has already ordered JDAM and Australian industry is hoping a new RAAF order will kick-start series production of the extended range version.

The first flight tests of an extended range version of Boeing's GBU-31/32 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) took place at Woomera in August.

The JDAM-ER tests were carried out as part of the initial JDAM integration trials by ARDU and the RAAF; the RAAF ordered the JDAM late last year under its Bomb Improvement Program, Project Air 5409, to provide a day/night/all weather precision attack capability for its F/A-18 Hornets.

The JDAM employs a Global Positioning System (GPS) guidance unit and control fins in a specially modified tail cone to provide standard Mk82 and Mk84 500lb and 2,000lb bombs with very high levels of accuracy.

Operational testing of the JDAM bombs is due to commence this month in order to achieve an Initial Operational Capability in mid 2007.

The JDAM-ER is being developed by Boeing's Australian subsidiary Hawker de Havilland under a Capability & Technology Demonstrator (CTD) contract awarded three years ago, Project Air 5425.

The folding wing kit developed by Hawker de Havilland is based on DSTO's original 1980s Kerkanya glide bomb technology demonstrator.

It bestows a massive increase in the range of the weapons: two Mk82 JDAM ERs were released from RAAF Hornets flying at 20,000ft and Mach 0.7 and flew over 40km, striking their targets with an accuracy of just 1.5m

The Woomera JDAM-ER trials 'piggy-backed' on Defence's JDAM integration trial and were conducted by Defence, Boeing and Hawker de Havilland.

The JDAM-ER is a conventional GBU-31/32 JDAM, with minor guidance and control software modifications to accommodate the very different flight characteristics of a gliding bomb.

The strap-on wing kit replaces the longitudinal strakes normally employed to stabilize the JDAM in flight.

Due to the much longer time of flight and the flight characteristics of the weapon, guidance and control software has had to be rewritten slightly and a longer-life battery installed to power the GPS receiver and control surfaces right up to weapon impact.

The CTD Program assists in the improvement or support of priority Defence capability by providing Australian Industry with an opportunity to demonstrate their technology, thereby informing Defence of the potential performance and technical risk associated with its implementation.

According to Hawker de Havilland's business development director, Tony Carollan, there is no formal requirement as yet from either the RAAF or USAF for the ER variant of the JDAM.

But the JDAM-ER program has attracted considerable interest from both air forces and a number of other export JDAM operators.

ADM understands the ADF is studying the JDAM-ER closely with a view to possibly acquiring the capability at some point in the future.

The flight test program brings the CTD close to its conclusion, but Hawker de Havilland is talking to the DMO about funding further trials and development.

Further wind tunnel work could extend the weapon's range still further, Carollan believes, while further flight testing would clear the weapon for carriage and release in a much wider set of flight conditions.

If it enters full-scale production the JDAM-ER will be marketed worldwide by JDAM prime contractor Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS), but the Kerkanya wing kit will be manufactured in Australia with significant SMRE involvement, according to Carollan.

Any RAAF purchase of JDAM-ER would represent only a tiny fraction of the likely global demand, he said, so the potential return on this CTD could be considerable.