The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Republic of Korea of Precision Guided Munitions and related equipment for an estimated cost of $258 million. The proposed sale will improve the Republic of Korea’s capability to meet current and future threats by increasing available stores of munitions on the Korean Peninsula in support of Alliance Operations Plans (OPLANs), as well as to fulfill conditions outlined by the Condition-Based Operational Control (OPCON) Transition Plan. The Republic of Korea will have no difficulty absorbing these articles into its armed forces. The principal contractor will be Boeing Corporation, St Louis, Missouri.
The Republic of Korea has requested to buy three thousand nine hundred fifty-three (3,953) Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Guidance Kits, KMU-556 for GBU-31; one thousand nine hundred eighty-one (1,981) JDAM Guidance Kits, KMU-557 for GBU-31, GBU-56; one thousand one hundred seventy-nine (1,179) JDAM Guidance Kits, KMU-572 for GBU-38; and one thousand seven hundred fifty-five (1,755) FMU-139 Fuze Systems. Also included are DSU-42/B Detectors, Laser Illuminated Target for GBU-56; weapon spare parts, components; accessories; weapons training aids, devices, and spare parts; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical assistance, logistical support services; and other related elements of logistical and program support.
The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or “dumb bombs”, into all-weather precision-guided munitions. The JDAM is not a stand-alone weapon; rather it is a “bolt-on” guidance package that converts unguided gravity bombs into precision-guided munitions (PGMs). 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). The JDAM’s guidance system was jointly developed by the United States Air Force and United States Navy, hence the “joint” in JDAM. 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.
The JDAM’s modular design has allowed Boeing to make these smart bombs even “smarter” with the addition of the DSU-38 Laser Sensor. Pilots can now prosecute moving, relocatable and maritime targets with a high degree of accuracy and reliability. The DSU-38 Laser sensor has been fully integrated on the 500-lb JDAM, GBU-38 to become the GBU-54. GBU-54 has been extensively combat-proven by the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Testing and integration of the Laser JDAM sensor onto the 2,000-lb MK-84 JDAM, to become the GBU-56, is nearing completion.Integration of the laser sensor to JDAM is affordable, field-installable, and virtually risk-free, since no aircraft software modifications are required. It can also be used with other upgrades such as the Extended Range (JDAM ER) wing set that triples JDAM’s range to greater than 40 miles.
