Joint Direct Attack Munition facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM)
GBU-31: A Mk 84 bomb fitted with JDAM kit
Type	Bomb guidance kit
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1997–present
Production history
Unit cost	Approx. US$25,000 (Depends on acquisition lot. Foreign sales have considerably higher prices.)
Specifications
Length	9.9–12.75 feet (3.02–3.89 m)
Maximum firing range	Up to 15 nautical miles (28 km)
Wingspan	19.6 to 25 inches (500 to 640 mm)
Guidance system	Inertial guidance/GPS
Accuracy	Specified 13 meters; Realized around 7 meters

The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a special kit that turns regular, unguided bombs into "smart" bombs. These smart bombs use a special navigation system, like a super-accurate GPS, to find their target. They can hit targets up to 15 nautical miles (about 28 kilometers) away from where they are dropped.

Both the United States Air Force and the United States Navy use JDAMs. The United States Marine Corps also uses them.

What is a JDAM?

A JDAM isn't a bomb by itself. It's a "bolt-on" kit that attaches to existing unguided bombs. Think of it like adding a smart brain and fins to a regular bomb. Military workers attach these kits to bombs right in the field.

JDAM kits can be used on bombs weighing from 500 pounds (225 kg) to 2000 pounds (900 kg). They work with many types of general purpose bombs.

These kits help bombs hit targets accurately, even if the targets are moving or in different locations. Future upgrades might even let them hit moving targets with lasers.

JDAMs were created to improve on older laser-guided bombs. Laser-guided bombs could have trouble in bad weather or smoky conditions. Some JDAMs are now also getting laser guidance.

Since 1998, over 300,000 JDAM kits have been made by Boeing.

How JDAMs Were Developed

Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) operators

During the Gulf War, it was hard for planes to hit targets accurately when visibility was poor. Smoke, fog, dust, and clouds made it difficult to use precision-guided weapons. This showed the need for better air-to-surface weapons.

The first JDAM kits were delivered in 1997. They were tested in 1998 and 1999. During these tests, over 450 JDAMs were dropped. They showed amazing reliability, hitting their targets 95 percent of the time. JDAMs proved they could work well even in clouds, rain, and snow.

On September 10, 2003, a B-2 Spirit bomber showed how powerful JDAMs are. It dropped eighty (80) practice JDAMs in one flight. This proved that many targets could be hit precisely at once.

JDAM bombs are much cheaper than other advanced weapons like cruise missiles. The original cost for each kit was estimated at $40,000. But after competition, the cost dropped to about $18,000 per kit. For example, a Tomahawk cruise missile costs around $730,000.

Another great thing about JDAMs is their "fire-and-forget" ability. This means once the bomb is launched, the aircraft doesn't need to guide it anymore. The plane can then leave the area and go on to its next mission right away.

Images for kids

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  U.S. Navy sailors attach a JDAM kit aboard the USS Constellation (CV-64), in March 2003.

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  The first flight test of the first GPS-guided weapon resulted in a direct hit on a target at Eglin Air Force Base on 10 February 1993.

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  Ex-Schenectady (LST-1185) damaged by seven 2,000-pound JDAMs during USAF exercise Resultant Fury on 23 November 2004.

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  JDAMs loaded under the left wing of an F-16 Fighting Falcon with a LITENING II Targeting Pod visible beneath the fuselage

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  JDAMs prior to being loaded for operations over Iraq, 2003

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  GBU-38 explosions in Iraq in 2008.

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  DSU-33 Airburst sensor (right)

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  GBU-54 laser seeker.

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  JDAMs loaded onto a Heavy Stores Adaptor Beam (HSAB) under the wing of a B-52H Stratofortress

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  2,000lb GBU-31s ripple drop in Afghanistan by two F-15Es, 2009.

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  USAF artist rendering of JDAM kits fitted to Mk 84, BLU-109, Mk 83, and Mk 82 unguided bombs.

See also

In Spanish: JDAM para niños