Air Force News, news from Iraq - Air Force Times

Laser-guided bomb makes first strike in Iraq

The laser-guided Joint Direct Attack Munition made its combat debut in Iraq earlier this month, the Air Force announced Wednesday.

The 500-pound bomb, also known as the GBU-54, joined the war when an F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 77th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Balad, used it to strike a moving enemy vehicle in Diyala province. The pilot was working with a joint terminal attack controller on the ground.

“The first combat employment of this weapon is the validation of the exacting hard work of an entire team of professionals who developed, tested and fielded this weapon on an extremely short timeline,” said Lt. Gen. Gary North, who oversees air operations over Iraq.

A standard satellite-guided JDAM can hit fixed targets but not moving targets. The addition of a laser seeker means the bomb can be steered toward a moving target.

Identified as an urgent operational need in early 2007, the GBU-54’s development and testing was completed in less than 17 months.

During test flights by high-flying F-16s and F-15E Strike Eagles out of Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., LJDAMs struck vehicles moving as fast as 70 mph.

One of the final tests involved releasing a dozen bombs at the same time on several moving targets.

Boeing won the $28.8 million LJDAM contract in May 2007 to produce 400 kits for the Air Force and 200 kits for the Navy. The goal is to deliver all the kits by June 2009.