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A Navy F/A-18 carries the new Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Long Range (LR) variant during a test event in early April off the coast of California.
Boeing demonstrated a turbojet-powered GBU-75 Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range (JDAM-LR) for the U.S. Navy in early April, converting a glide bomb into a powered munition, the service says.
“This new capability allows pilots to engage targets from significantly safer distances, maintaining a tactical advantage in contested environments,” said Capt. Sarah Abbott, program manager for Precision Strike Weapons.
The GBU-75, a newly awarded military designation, demonstrated a range of about 200 nm after being released from a Navy-owned Boeing F/A-18F operated by VFA-213 squadron.
Boeing integrated a Kratos TDI TJ85 turbojet engine and a wing kit onto a JDAM airframe. The new design adds two ventral air scoops behind the center of gravity, plus a dorsal exhaust nozzle slightly forward of the tail kit. The M-code GPS antenna, which was previously mounted on the tail kit, was moved forward on the airframe.
The concept recalls the Navy’s long-canceled effort to field a turbojet-powered version of the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon, which provided a range of 60 nm when launched from high altitude.
“As Naval Air Forces in theater continue to rely heavily on JDAM systems, the program recognizes a critical need to provide the fleet with greater standoff range,” Abbott added.
The Navy is now working on completing the weapons qualification process for the JDAM-LR. The next step involves integrating the weapon into the weapons magazine of an aircraft carrier.
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