IAF Receives JDAM Kits to Convert Tejas Jet's Unguided Bombs into Precision-Guided "Smart" Munitions

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has begun receiving shipments of Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits, marking a significant leap in the combat capabilities of its indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.

This acquisition, finalized in 2022 under delegated financial powers, allows the IAF to transform the Tejas' existing unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions, significantly enhancing its accuracy and strike range.

With JDAM integration, the Tejas can now engage targets such as enemy bunkers and runways at distances exceeding 80 kilometers. This extended reach, coupled with pinpoint accuracy, positions the Tejas as a more formidable fighter jet in the IAF's arsenal.

Government sources indicate that the JDAM-equipped Tejas will be capable of conducting strikes with even greater precision than those seen in the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.

The JDAM system utilizes a combination of inertial navigation (INS) and GPS guidance to ensure accurate bomb delivery, minimizing collateral damage. This advanced technology aligns with the IAF's ongoing modernization efforts and highlights the growing importance of precision-guided munitions in modern warfare.

The JDAM is a joint development of the United States Air Force and Navy. It is not a standalone weapon but a "bolt-on" guidance package that can be attached to a variety of unguided bombs, increasing their accuracy and effectiveness. The system has seen extensive use in various conflicts around the world, demonstrating its reliability and effectiveness in diverse operational environments.

This upgrade underscores India's commitment to enhancing its defence capabilities and ensuring its air superiority in the region. With the added precision and extended range provided by JDAM, the Tejas is set to play a more critical role in India's defense strategy.

 

[sanket]

why cant develop locally, JDAM were failed in Ukraine war , all were Jammed

 

[Anant]

Now, if only we could get a couple more Tejas jets to use these on...

 

[NSR]

Great idea and I hope that they convert all of 250 kgs, 500 kgs, and 1000 kgs dumb bombs into smart precision bombs.
Great armament to destroy enemy installations without putting IAF fighters in harms way.

 

[Dipesh Debnath]

How is Gaurav bomb doing? Is it not a local glide bomb using Navic navigation. In gps denied area, inertial navigation will work somewhat ok. we could use that gaurav kit and reprogram it to work as jdam kit by segregating the fin, glider and seeker parts.

 

[Dipesh Debnath]

why cant develop locally, JDAM were failed in Ukraine war , all were Jammed

We have gaurav bomb, some local company makes similar kit but not ready for buying atm perhaps.i believe the jdam er kit from Boeing is an additional small scale sale because we already have a lot of sales channel with Boeing.boeing can fix the jamming issue. add a stronger antenna,Freq hopping algo and encryption

 

[Dipesh Debnath]

Now, if only we could get a couple more Tejas jets to use these on...

We need drones to deliver these.humans should not actively fight in future battle,just let drones drop the bombs in contested territory. This is 6th gen warfare scenario.

 

[Radha Ramanan]

The bad news is US has given Pak 500 jdams for their f-16s way back in 2006 , 1600 paveway laser guided bombs and 700 BLU 109 bunker busting bombs. 500 amraam C-5 missiles as well .This came with the f-16 c,d block 52 airframes package supplied for protecting Osamaa Binn Ladoo!! in the war on terror . !! The jdam has a range of 25 km when dropped from height, Pak f-16 dare not go to heights to release jdam , its suicide. The JDAM ER is a winged version like the Gaurav has a range of 80 km from height. china has given Pak many glide bombs equal or better than the jdam for their j-17s.

 

[Rudra]

Ukraine has been given quite a lot of those. And now Ukraine has admitted they are mostly ineffective because Russia keeps jamming them and keep missing.

 

[Ajath Shri]

Ukraine has been given quite a lot of those. And now Ukraine has admitted they are mostly ineffective because Russia keeps jamming them and keep missing.

PAF does not possess advanced jamming system like those Russia has. But China might have.

 

[Debajyoti Dutta]

We have gaurav bomb, some local company makes similar kit but not ready for buying atm perhaps.i believe the jdam er kit from Boeing is an additional small scale sale because we already have a lot of sales channel with Boeing.boeing can fix the jamming issue. add a stronger antenna,Freq hopping algo and encryption

Gaurav ia a full fledged bombs and not kits like JDAM and Spice.
Testing is completely successful and integration to Su-30 MKI as well.
We'll never come to know when the order for bulk production will be done and to be honest we should have to know either.

 

[Sandeep]

Ukraine has been given quite a lot of those. And now Ukraine has admitted they are mostly ineffective because Russia keeps jamming them and keep missing.

The bombs can still be dropped on the target based on the CEP being low even if they jam the GPS. Having the GPS just means that it’s more accurate once they enter the coordinates.

 

[Sandeep]

We need drones to deliver these.humans should not actively fight in future battle,just let drones drop the bombs in contested territory. This is 6th gen warfare scenario.

The problem with having a contested territory means that you can’t use drones as they are easy targets from SAM or BVRAAM as the drones don’t have any defence or the speed to evade a jets missile.

 

[Sandeep]

These bombs might be good but they are foreign expensive kits to change an unguided bomb to a guided bomb. It’s ok to import a small number of bombs until we develop our own full fledged Gaurav and Gautam version as soon as everything is ready and it’s certified so we need to speed up those tests and trials.