Joint Direct Attack Munition
Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a US-produced kit attached to a conventional gravity bomb to convert a dumb bomb into a guided munition or smart bomb.
The kit adds a front and tail section to standard iron (dumb) bombs of different sizes. According to Dr. Thomas Wittington, "15 different JDAM kits are in service, equipping a range of bombs weighing from 500 lb (225 kg) to 2,000 lb (900 kg)."[1] Pre-Bidenomics, the kits ranged in price from $21,000 to $84,000. The kits were designed by McDonnell Douglas and continue to be manufactured by Boeing (which took over McDonnell Douglas' operations).
JDAM uses GPS high precision encrypted signals plus an inertial navigation system and has been improved with anti-spoofing technology.
Israel, which has its own version of JDAM (more sophisticated and more expensive than JDAM) has ordered thousands. According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Israel requested a "possible sale of 14,500 KMU-556C/B Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) tail kits..." There is considerable controversy over the delivery of JDAM kits, especially for the larger size bombs, which Israel claims have been blocked.
JDAM has not met expectations during the NATO war in Ukraine and JDAM launches have been neutralized by Russian electronic warfare. Leaked classified reports say "the weapons have experienced higher-than-expected dud rates and have missed their targets on the battlefield." Ukrainian aircraft also have to fend off Russian air defenses, limiting the use of JDAMS anywhere near Russian air defenses and jammers.[2]
References
- ↑ https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/jamming-jdam-threat-us-munitions-russian-electronic-warfare
- ↑ Russia jamming U.S. smart bombs in Ukraine, leaked docs say, By LARA SELIGMAN, Politico, 04/12/2023. politico.com
External link
- Ukraine: Why JDAMs and SDBs are Missing Targets, Millennium 7 * HistoryTech, Jun 30, 2024. YouTube
