The Air Force has granted Boeing a contract valued at nearly $7.5 billion to produce additional kits for converting bombs into guided weapons, specifically known as Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs).
By Shreya M
According to the Pentagon's announcement on Friday, this sole-source, fixed-price, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract will have Boeing supplying JDAM tail kits and other related materials. The scope of work includes not only the production of these kits but also providing spares, repairs, technical assistance, and laser JDAM sensor kits. Boeing will conduct this work at its St. Louis, Missouri, facility, with the contract running through the end of February 2030.
The Air Force indicated that the precise number of JDAM kits to be supplied by Boeing under this contract has yet to be determined. Boeing has redirected all inquiries to the Air Force. Furthermore, a portion of these JDAM kits will be allocated to the Navy, which is partially funding the contract. The Air Force also noted that foreign customers will receive a share of these JDAM supplies, with around $228.2 million of the contract being funded through foreign military sales.
To create JDAMs, the Air Force or Navy attaches guidance tail kits to unguided "dumb" bombs, which can weigh between 500 and 2,000 pounds. These tail kits are equipped with a navigational system and a GPS guidance control unit, enabling the bomb to be directed from an aircraft to its ground target, even under adverse weather conditions. The cost of each JDAM kit varies from approximately $25,000 to $84,000, depending on the annual purchase volume by the Air Force.
The contract for additional JDAM kits comes amid concerns within the U.S. military about maintaining adequate munitions for its own arsenal and for supporting allies such as Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel. Defense companies are also experiencing shortages of labor and materials, which hampers their ability to ramp up production of certain munitions and pressures the defense industrial base’s capacity. In March, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown mentioned to reporters that the U.S. rigorously evaluates its munitions inventories and the potential impact on readiness before approving weapon requests from even its closest allies.
The Air Force faced challenges in supplying enough munitions like JDAMs during the war against the Islamic State. In response, the service significantly increased its JDAM purchases, reaching 30,872 units in 2019, 24,794 in 2020, and 17,300 in 2021, before reducing the numbers to the thousands in subsequent years. In September 2021, Boeing received a $344.6 million contract modification from the Navy to provide up to 24,000 precision laser guidance sets for the military's laser JDAM program. Additionally, in January 2023, the Air Force awarded Boeing a $40.5 million contract to supply JDAM wing kits.
Add comment
Comments