New 'Smart' Bombs for Australia's F-18 Aircraft

Australian Department of Defence, Australia's F/A-18 fighter jets will be equipped with new 'smart' bombs that will provide a state-of-the-art weapon capability that can be accurately fired during day or night and all weather conditions, Defence Minister Robert Hill announced today.  
 
The McDonnell Douglas Corporation (a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company) has been selected as the preferred tenderer of 'smart' GPS guidance kits, and a contract with Defence will be signed later today.  
 
Boeing's Joint Direct Attack Munition 'JDAM' solution was selected as the preferred tenderer after a thorough evaluation across a range of areas including operational capability, level of current integration on F/A-18 aircraft, cost and risk.  
 
Senator Hill said the new 'smart' bomb technology uses Global Positioning System (GPS) guidance that can be used for dropping general purpose and penetrator bombs.  
 
“The Government has agreed to purchasing the 'smart' bomb guidance kits to significantly increase the F/A-18 aircraft's combat effectiveness,” Senator Hill said.  
 
“The GPS guidance system will provide Australia's F/A-18's with the capability to more accurately employ general purpose and penetrator bombs at any time of the day and or during any weather conditions.  
 
“The new guidance kits will transform the aircraft's existing inventory of bombs into 'smart' bombs with vastly improved accuracy and precision.  
 
“Improved bomb accuracy increases the effectiveness of our F/A-18 strike capability and reduces the risk of any collateral damage if used during an operation.  
 
“The total cost of the project is expected to be over $50 million with the new capability expected to be in service in 2008.”  
 
“This new 'smart' bomb capability will ensure Australia retains a world class strike capability on the retirement of the F-111.”  
 
In November 2004, a Request for Tender for the Government's Bomb Improvement Program was released to The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation and Raytheon Company.