The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) recently announced that it will acquire ten Korean GPS Guided Bomb (KGGB) guidance kits. The KGGB will be installed on Thailand’s domestically-produced Mark 82 general-purpose bomb and will likely be used for testing purposes. Global Business Press reported that Thailand will be the third confirmed export customer of this South Korean-made glide bomb after Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. Indonesia acquired an unknown quantity of KGGB guidance kits for testing and development purposes by PT. PINDAD in 2016 while Saudi Arabia also acquired an unknown amount of the bombs in 2017.
KGGB is a South Korean precision guided glide bomb, attached to Mark 82 (Mk 82) is an unguided, low-drag general-purpose bom. It was developed by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and the Agency for Defense Development (ADD). The Korean GPS-Guided Bomb (KGGB) is a fire and forget precision guided bomb intended to hit targets on the ground released from fighter aircraft. Its guidance system combines the GPS satellite positioning system with the Inertial Navigation System (INS). The KGGB bomb also features improved range thanks to a wing kit and capable of striking targets from long-distances and features fire-and-forget capability.
Features
Survivability. Extended Range for Higher Survivability of Aircraft and Pilot
Anti-Jamming. Enhanced precision strike with GPS INS integrated navigation
Real Time. Guidance kit control by real-time wireless WLAN (wireless local area network)
NO A/C integration. No modification of aircraft and interface needed (PDU 14” Bomb rack)
As of early 2011 the GPS-guided weapon is still under development by LIG Nex1 for the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF). The KGGB is currently under discussion owing to its unequaled advantage of converting general munitions into precision guided weapons at a low-cost without the need for remodeling the aircraft. As of 2018, the KGGB is operated F-4, F-5, F-15E, F-16, and FA-50. By saving the mission plan data to PDU, Pilot Display Unit, and having the KGGB mounted on the aircraft, the survivability of both aircraft and piolt can be secured from the take-off to the point of returning to the base. The kits fitted on 500 lb. (226 kg) Mk. 82 bombs have a practical maximum range between 47 to 103 km with release altitudes from 3 to 12 km. LIG Nex1 has claimed that the KGGB has an accuracy better than 25 meters CEP of the U.S.-made JDAM.
