The US Air Force has approved a plan, in the form of a $75 million contract to Boeing, to put tiny jet engines on 2,000 lb. gravity bombs to turn them into guided missiles, “offering a new, long-range strike option for US aircraft,” reported Breaking Defense. The new weapon, called the Joint Direct Attack Munition–Long Range or JDAM-LR, would have a range of over 340 miles, compared to no more than about 45 miles for the unpowered JDAM.
The initial contract is for the Navy, but the JDAM-LR can be integrated to any aircraft already capable of carrying the earlier JDAM, making it likely that Boeing is expecting more contracts.
