About the Book
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 45. Chapters: AGM-130, AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon, AGM-62 Walleye, ASM-A-1 Tarzon, Azon, Bat (guided bomb), Blohm & Voss BV 143, Blohm & Voss BV 246, BOLT-117, Bombe Guidee Laser, Bombkapsel 90, CBU-107 Passive Attack Weapon, Denel Dynamics Umbani, Flying bomb, FPG-82, Fritz X, FT PGB, GB-4, GB-8, GBU-10 Paveway II, GBU-12 Paveway II, GBU-15, GBU-16 Paveway II, GBU-24 Paveway III, GBU-27 Paveway III, GBU-28, GBU-37 GPS-Aided Munition, GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, GBU-44/B Viper Strike, Henschel Hs 293, Henschel Hs 294, HGK (bomb), HOPE/HOSBO, Joint Direct Attack Munition, KAB-500KR, KAB-500L, LS PGB, LT PGB, Massive Ordnance Penetrator, MBDA PGM 500, Mistel, Paveway IV, Perseus (munition), Pyros (bomb), Qased, SCALPEL, Small Diameter Bomb, Spice (guidance kit), VB-6 Felix, Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser. Excerpt: The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs" into all-weather "smart" munitions. 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 (227 kg) to 2,000 pounds (907 kg). 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 is not a stand-alone weapon, rather it is a "bolt-on" guidance package that converts unguided gravity bombs into Precision-Guided Munitions, or PGMs. The key components of the system consist of a tail section with aerodynamic control surfaces, a (body) strake kit, and a combined inertial guidance system and GPS guidance control unit. The JDAM was meant to improve upon laser-guided bomb and imaging infrared technology, which can be hindered by bad ground and weather conditions. Laser seekers are now being fitted to some JDAMs. The guidance system was developed by the United States Air Force and United States Navy, hence the "joint" in JDAM. U.S. Navy sailors attach a JDAM kit in March 2003.The Air Force's initial bombing efforts during 1991's Operation Desert Storm suffered for the lack of an air-to-surface weapon that could work regardless of smoke, fog, dust, and cloud cover. Research, development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E) of an "adverse weather precision guided munition" began in 1992. Several proposals were considered, including a radical concept that used GPS. At the time, there were few GPS satellites and the idea of using satellite navigation for real-time weapon guidance was untested and controversial. To identify the technical risk associated with an INS/GPS guided weapon, the Air Force created in early 1992 a rapid-response High Gear program called the "JDA
