Boeing has secured a $75 million contract from the US Air Force to begin initial production of the GBU-75 Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range (JDAM LR), a next-generation precision-guided weapon capable of striking targets more than 300 nautical miles away. The award marks the program’s transition into production following Boeing’s nearly $100 million investment in its development.
The Undefinitized Contract Action (UCA) covers the acquisition of the BSU-111/B Payload Delivery Unit (PDU) and authorizes Boeing to begin manufacturing the systems for the US Navy.
“This first production contract is a major milestone for the JDAM LR program, demonstrating our ability to deliver long-range precision-strike capability at a significantly lower cost,” said Bob Ciesla, Vice President of Boeing Precision Engagement Systems.
He added, “Scaling production of the GBU-75 will provide the fleet with an affordable, sustainable solution designed to eliminate long-range land and sea-based threats to US and international forces and enable them to safely and effectively operate in a contested battlespace.”
JDAM LR combines the proven JDAM guidance tail kit and aircraft interface with a deployable wing kit and compact turbojet engine, enabling long-range precision land-strike, naval-strike, and maritime aerial-mining missions with a 500-pound (226 kg) class payload.
Built on the existing JDAM production infrastructure, the system is designed for rapid integration with aircraft already capable of carrying conventional JDAMs, allowing for scalable production while keeping acquisition costs low.
The weapon recently completed its first successful flight test off the California coast, meeting key objectives including sustained powered flight, military-code GPS navigation and accurate target guidance.
“JDAM LR gives operators an affordable, mass-producible option for striking targets from beyond the effective range of enemy defenses,” said Ciesla.
