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The first production set of Australian-designed and manufactured range-extending wing kits for the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) for use by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has been delivered.
The wing kits, which were developed by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), are being manufactured by Ferra Engineering under contract to Boeing. Speaking at an event marking the delivery at the Ferra production facility in Brisbane, Rear Admiral Tony Dalton, head of the Helicopters, Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems and Guided Weapons Division at the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), stated that one aspect of the JDAM enhancement program had been to test, certify and manufacture a range-extending wing kit.
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“This successful project has taken an Australian idea and through an international collaboration has turned it into a reality,” he said on Thursday. “These range-extending wing kits almost triple the baseline range of the current smart bombs.”
Test and evaluation flight trials of the new extended-range JDAM were successfully conducted at the Woomera range in December last year, with the weapons landing within metres of their designated targets, Defence stated.
aussie0000
says:With an accuracy of within metres of their designated targets is not so accurate, or will there be warnings to civilians of intended destruction?? Could be a costly near miss.
Dane
says:I somehow doubt a metre or two is going to make a great deal of difference when a JDAM hits
Chris
says:The RAF uses concrete bombs with no explosive content when the risk of collatoral damage is otherwise too high from HE weapons. From 5km or higher the kinetic effect is enough to secure a kill especially in Danger Close missions. F=ma 227/454kg x 9.8ms2 = kill The JDAM and others are strap on kits. So as long as the weapon is aerodynamically shaped its flight path will be predictable. They can also penetrate multiple floors in high rise urban environments without detonating at roof level etc
PhilC
says:Good Kit well done DMO