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Boeing wants to put wings on 2,000-pound bomb

One of the Air Force’s largest bombs — the 2,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions — could be even more of a threat if an upgrade by Boeing Co. proves successful.

Boeing wants to install wings on the satellite-guided bomb, enabling the JDAM to glide for about 50 miles before striking a target, Boeing spokesman Tim Deaton said.

The 2,000-pound JDAM is among the largest weapons Air Force fighters and bombers carry. In Afghanistan, they are often used to destroy cave complexes and other targets where civilian injuries and damage to adjacent buildings aren’t a concern.

Boeing plans for the upgraded JDAM to be ready for production in 2012, Deaton said.

Boeing and the Australian military have already tested a winged version of the 500-pound JDAM, Deaton added.

The 250-pound Small Diameter Bomb, already flying on Air Force jets, also uses foldable wings.

Development of the extended-range version of the 2,000-pound JDAM is funded Boeing and other partners, not the Air Force. Times Aerospace Korea is working with Boeing to design the foldable wing assembly.