The Air Force successfully conducts the first guided launch of the GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition. JDAM, built by Boeing, is a guidance kit that converts “dumb” bombs into precision- guided munitions using Global Positioning System update information. During this test, the 2,000-pound weapon was released from a Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon flying at 20,000 feet at Mach 0.8 over the test range at Eglin AFB, Fla. The weapon received satellite data prior to release, but primarily used inertial navigation system data on this test.
RTX’s Raytheon unit was able to “significantly” extend the range of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile using mostly software changes in experimental tests last year, expanding the reach and lethality of the standard U.S. dogfighting weapon, company officials said Sept. 15.
