How can the U.S. turn cheap “dumb bombs” into precision cruise missiles for a fraction of the cost? In this video, we explore Boeing’s revolutionary JDAM LR program, the Navy’s latest flight tests, and how these jet-powered smart bombs could rival JASSMs and Tomahawks at a fraction of the price. From stealthy maritime strike variants to decoy weapons and long-range naval mines, discover how America is reshaping modern warfare with affordable, high-precision firepower today globally.
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SOURCES: https://pastebin.com/DNhuCYhb
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00:00On the battlefields of the 21st century, accuracy is not optional.
00:04The world's major military powers, like the United States,
00:08need to have ways to strike their targets with pinpoint precision,
00:11sometimes from literally hundreds of miles away.
00:15There's just one problem.
00:16The kinds of munitions capable of such precise attacks,
00:19like long-range cruise missiles, cost a huge amount of money to make.
00:23Joint air-to-surface standoff missiles, JASIMs, for example,
00:27cost more than a million dollars per unit.
00:30Tomahawks cost over $3 million each.
00:33Even with a military budget of almost a trillion dollars,
00:36the U.S. can't afford to simply mass-produce such expensive munitions,
00:40and it certainly can't afford to waste them.
00:42But what if there was another way?
00:44A way to transform relatively cheap dumb bombs into deadly cruise missiles
00:49with elite levels of range and precision for a fraction of the usual price?
00:54There is, and the United States Navy
00:56is now exploring this genius approach
00:58through four new types of precision-guided weapon concepts,
01:02potentially expanding and evolving the American arsenal like never before.
01:07The idea of turning unguided or dumb bombs
01:10into smart precision-guided munitions isn't new.
01:13The U.S. has been using Boeing's Joint Direct Attack Munition,
01:17JADAM Guidance Kits, for several decades,
01:20with several hundred thousand units produced since 1999.
01:23These bolt-on packages are comprised of several components,
01:27including aerodynamic tail sections, straight kits,
01:31and combined inertial and GPS guidance control units.
01:34When affixed to a simple unguided bomb,
01:37like a 2,000-pound Mk-84, for example,
01:40the JADAM dramatically increases its performance and potential,
01:44enabling aircraft to strike fixed ground targets with exceptional accuracy.
01:49To be more precise, JADAMs have been proven to improve bomb accuracy
01:53to within 16 feet or 5 meters of their intended targets.
01:57Plus, since they both use GPS and inertial navigation to strike their targets,
02:02they can be used in all weather conditions,
02:05unlike dumb or laser-guided weapons,
02:07which typically require clear skies for effective usage.
02:11JADAMs also have the benefit of compatibility with most U.S. combat aircraft,
02:15including F-18 and F-35 fighter jets and B-2 bombers.
02:20But perhaps their biggest and best advantage is their affordability.
02:24JADAM kits cost between $21,000 and $36,000.
02:29That's a tiny fraction of the seven-figure price tags typically attached to cruise missiles.
02:34What's more, the U.S. has vast stockpiles of dumb bombs,
02:38just waiting to be converted into smart, precision-guided munitions
02:41and unleashed on the country's enemies.
02:43In the 2000s, Boeing took the JADAM concept further,
02:48developing the JADAM Extended Range, or J-Dammer,
02:51a new version of the original JADAM kit
02:53that allowed bombs to glide much greater distances of around 45 miles or 72 kilometers.
03:00That's three times further than the original JADAM,
03:03or around the same operational range as M-142 HIMARS rockets.
03:07It's an impressive distance,
03:09but it still pales in comparison to the likes of the JASM cruise missile,
03:14which can travel several hundred miles before striking its targets.
03:17Fortunately, Boeing had something else up its sleeve,
03:20an even more powerful JADAM kit with a range to truly rival some of the world's best missiles.
03:26Introducing the Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range, or JADAM LR.
03:31Boeing first laid out the concept for this kit back in 2010,
03:35when it proposed adding a jet engine tail kit to the existing JADAM package.
03:40At the time, the U.S. military showed little interest in the idea,
03:44but by 2020, things had changed.
03:47Then in April 2026,
03:49the U.S. Navy announced it had carried out successful flight tests of the baseline JADAM LR,
03:55which, according to Boeing officials, includes a TDI J85 turbojet engine
04:00that allows these brand new smart bombs to travel far further than previous models,
04:05with a base range of around 200 nautical miles, 230 miles or 370 kilometers,
04:11and the potential to go even further.
04:16Are we already in World War III?
04:18Because depending on what you read,
04:20it can feel like we're living in completely different realities.
04:23And keeping up with the news isn't the hard part anymore,
04:26it's figuring out what's actually true.
04:29Take this story covered by nearly 200 sources across the spectrum.
04:33It reports the U.S. military says its blockade of Iranian ports
04:36has completely halted economic trade within 36 hours.
04:40But just one day earlier,
04:42another story, mostly covered by nearly 80 sources,
04:45most being left-leaning,
04:47said marine traffic in the Strait of Hormuz
04:49was barely affected on the first day of the blockade.
04:52So, which is it?
04:54Total shutdown?
04:55Barely a disruption?
04:56Or can both be true?
04:58That divide in coverage is exactly why we use Ground News
05:01to help keep us informed on the multiple active conflicts
05:04happening around the world.
05:06If you only saw one of those headlines,
05:08you'd walk away with just one perspective
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05:13Ground News pulls in thousands of news stories every day
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05:24One feature we've been using a lot lately is Blindspot.
05:28It shows you stories heavily covered by one side of the political spectrum
05:32but barely talked about by the other.
05:33No matter where you fall politically,
05:36breaking out of the echo chamber gives you a more accurate understanding
05:39of what's really happening
05:40and that's incredibly important when it comes to breaking through the fog of war.
05:45So, go to ground.news slash military show
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06:00The baseline JDAM LR is also set to be the foundation
06:04for three additional variants of this guidance kit,
06:08each with its own benefits and purpose.
06:10There's the decoy JDAM LR for example,
06:13the Quickstrike LR and the Maritime Strike LR.
06:17The incredible range of these weapons
06:19brings the JDAM to a whole new level of performance,
06:22allowing the US to turn dumb bombs into highly precise standoff weapons
06:26that can be launched from relatively safe locations
06:28far from enemy air defenses.
06:31The likes of fourth-generation fighter jets and stealth bombers, for example,
06:35could launch these weapons against targets deep inside enemy territory
06:39without putting themselves at any elevated risk in the process.
06:42As US Navy Captain Sarah Abbott,
06:45the Precision Strike Weapons Program Manager, explains,
06:48As naval air forces in theater continue to rely heavily on JDAM systems,
06:53the program recognizes a critical need to provide the fleet with greater standoff range.
06:58This new capability allows pilots to engage targets from significantly safer distances,
07:04maintaining a tactical advantage in contested environments.
07:07And the LR doesn't just bring better range.
07:10These new kits are also said to deliver advance onboard power generation capabilities
07:15that would make these bombs significantly smarter,
07:17unlocking new features and functionalities,
07:20like two-way data links or advanced-seeking systems,
07:23to make each munition even more accurate against moving targets
07:26or in environments that are affected by electronic warfare.
07:29Now, before we explore the technical specifications and capabilities of the various types of JDAM LR
07:36that the Navy could soon have at its disposal,
07:39here's a closer look at the actual testing process,
07:42which occurred at the Navy's Point Mugu Sea Range just off the coast of California.
07:47There, two JDAM LRs were launched from US Navy F-A-18 Super Hornets
07:52during separate test flights.
07:54Each weapon traveled roughly 200 nautical miles after separating from its fighter,
07:58with one of the tests also involving altitude changes and weapon maneuvering during flight
08:03before striking within meters of its intended target.
08:07Notably, the bombs were also launched using the existing JDAM interface
08:11that's already part of F-A-18s and various other aircraft in the US fleet.
08:16That matters because it effectively means that the rollout of these JDAM LRs
08:20should be both swift and seamless.
08:23Aircraft won't need to undergo time-consuming modifications or new system installations.
08:27Instead, the new kits can simply be equipped to the many of the tactical and strategic aircraft
08:33that have already used JDAMs in the past.
08:36The first test reportedly took place on April 1st
08:39and involved the JDAM LR flying for 34 minutes using its own turbojet engine power
08:45before striking within just a few meters of its intended target.
08:48Given that this type of system is typically attached to bombs weighing a minimum of 500 pounds
08:54or 226 kilograms, that sort of margin of error is perfectly acceptable,
09:00as the explosive blast would still be strong enough to deal significant damage to any nearby structure.
09:05A couple of days later, on April 3rd, the second test took place,
09:10albeit with a couple of key differences.
09:12This time, rather than flying a relatively linear, straightforward path to its target,
09:17the JDAM LR was tasked with following a more complex flight profile,
09:21which included sudden altitude changes and in-air maneuvers.
09:24These kinds of movements would be needed in real-world combat conditions
09:28to help these smart munitions evade enemy defenses
09:31and have a better chance of reaching their targets.
09:34Again, the test was said to be a big success,
09:37with the precision-guided munition reportedly covering a similar distance
09:40and achieving a similar outcome to the one launched on April 1st.
09:44This is incredibly encouraging news.
09:47The testing provided clear demonstrations of safe weapon separation,
09:51the ability to interface with existing aircraft systems,
09:54and controlled powered free flight and navigation
09:57at far greater distances than any pre-existing JDAM system.
10:01In other words, it proved that the JDAM LR was no longer just a pipe dream,
10:06but a real, functional piece of hardware,
10:09ready to transform dumb bombs like MK-82, 83, and 84s
10:13into carrier-based jet-propelled cruise missiles
10:16capable of not only flying for hundreds of miles,
10:19but doing so at high speeds too.
10:21Experts have estimated that the JDAM's use in the early April tests
10:25were most likely traveling at around 400 miles per hour,
10:28if not more, based on the distance they covered
10:31and their recorded flight times.
10:32The best part of all is that, just like previous JDAM iterations,
10:37the JDAM LR is nowhere near as expensive
10:40as an actual cruise missile would be.
10:42It does come with a higher price tag than the original JDAM
10:45and the more advanced JDAMer,
10:47with a total system cost estimated at around $200,000 per unit.
10:52But when you compare that to the million-dollar or more price tags
10:55associated with JASIMs and Tomahawks,
10:57the difference is clear to see.
10:59For the cost of just one JASIM, the US could create five JDAM LR bombs.
11:04For the same price as a Tomahawk,
11:06it could have 10 long-range precision munitions,
11:08ready to rain held down on its enemies.
11:11But before we look in greater detail at the unique LR variants
11:14that the Navy could soon be working with,
11:16if this is the kind of insight you want more of,
11:19make sure you're subscribed to The Military Show.
11:21We break it down like this every week.
11:24Now, the baseline JDAM LR is already extraordinary,
11:27with the potential to give once-done 500 bombs an operational range
11:32in excess of 300 nautical miles or 345 miles or 555 kilometers.
11:38But Boeing clearly intends to push this technology as far as it can
11:42and in a wider range of ways than experts initially imagined.
11:46The first of the three additional variants of this system
11:49is the JDAM LR decoy.
11:51As the name implies,
11:52this weapon won't actually be used for attacking targets
11:55like air defense systems or infrastructure,
11:58but it's instead designed to confuse the enemy
12:00or potentially lead them into wasting their own million-dollar missiles
12:03to deal with the perceived threat.
12:05The decoy LRs swap out the explosive warheads
12:08for auxiliary fuel tanks,
12:10which can increase their operational range
12:12from an extraordinary 700 nautical miles,
12:14805 miles or almost 1,300 kilometers.
12:19The benefits of a munition like this are clear to see.
12:22They could be launched in salvos
12:23to saturate enemy air defense systems,
12:26for example,
12:27forcing the opponent to exhaust its interceptors
12:29while creating safe corridors for real warheads
12:32or manned aircraft to follow behind.
12:34Thanks to their size, speed and range,
12:36the decoys would likely appear on radar screens
12:39just like real cruise missiles,
12:41such as the JASM,
12:42and no enemy would want to take the risk
12:44of allowing a missile like that
12:45to simply speed on by and strike its target.
12:48Even if they think it's a decoy,
12:50they still have to take action and bring it down.
12:53That would result in wasted time, energy and resources.
12:56So, while the decoy variant
12:58may not appear all that important at first glance,
13:01it holds far greater value and potential than it seems.
13:04The remaining two variants,
13:06which are both focused on maritime military operations,
13:09are perhaps the most impressive of them all.
13:11The first is the Quickstrike LR.
13:13Just like the baseline J-DAM LR,
13:15this is actually a natural evolution of an existing system,
13:19the Quickstrike ER.
13:20The original Quickstrike ER was, in a nutshell,
13:23a 2,000-pound general-purpose bomb
13:26that was fitted with underwater mine components,
13:28including a new fuse,
13:30and then attached to the traditional J-DAM
13:32extended range glide wing kit.
13:34The result?
13:35An enormous underwater mine
13:37that can be deployed from distances of 40 miles away
13:39from its intended area.
13:41Once the munition draws close to its target coordinates,
13:44it glides directly toward the water at high speed
13:47before impacting the surface
13:48and deploying as a naval mine.
13:50The mine then slowly sinks down,
13:52typically in waterways that are around 300 feet deep or less,
13:56and waits for a target to come too close.
13:58Its onboard Mark 57 target detection device
14:02can then spot the signatures of enemy vessels in the area,
14:05but they don't necessarily just detonate right away.
14:07They can wait for the perfect moment,
14:09differentiating between different kinds of ships
14:12or even counting vessels as they pass,
14:14only exploding when the time is right to deal maximum damage.
14:18Since they're used in relatively shallow bodies of water,
14:21like shipping channels, canals, rivers,
14:24inland waterways and harbors,
14:25and tip the scales at 2,000 pounds,
14:28these massive mines have no trouble
14:29sinking even the biggest warships,
14:31and just one B-52 bomber is all that's needed
14:34to drop up to 12 of these mega mines
14:36from dozens of miles away.
14:38Now imagine if that range was multiplied several times over.
14:42That's where the Quickstrike LR comes in.
14:45Here, Boeing upgraded the original glide wing kit
14:47seen on the ER version with a turbojet engine,
14:51extending the operational range to over 300 miles.
14:54The impact of that cannot be understated.
14:56In the past, if the U.S. wanted to mine waterways,
14:59even with a Quickstrike system,
15:01it still had to send its own bombers and their crews
15:04quite close to the target locations,
15:06putting them at risk
15:07and creating a whole host of logistical challenges.
15:10Now, with a Quickstrike LR,
15:12that entire issue is off the table.
15:14The U.S. will have the power to mine waterways
15:17that are literally hundreds of miles away,
15:19operating from friendly or neutral airspace,
15:21rather than having to send its crews and billion-dollar bombers
15:24behind enemy lines,
15:26risking lives in the process.
15:27This opens up countless opportunities for the U.S. military,
15:31while simultaneously striking fear into the hearts of its enemies,
15:34as they realize that now,
15:36not even their best defended or deepest inland waterways
15:39will ever be truly safe again.
15:40The final variant of the JDAM LR is the Maritime Strike version,
15:45and neither Boeing nor the military
15:47has released much specific information about this iteration.
15:50However, we can still make an educated guess
15:52about its design and capabilities,
15:55as it's most likely another example
15:56of an upgraded version of a pre-existing system,
15:59namely, the Air Force Research Laboratory AFRL Quick-Sync Munition.
16:04The Quick-Sync builds on the foundations established by the JDAM
16:08by introducing additional guidance systems into the base kit.
16:11To be more precise,
16:13it replaces the nose section of the munition
16:15with a multi-mode seeker package
16:17that combines radar and infrared imaging capabilities
16:20into a single integrated system.
16:22What this means is that,
16:23while conventional JDAMs are usually only effective
16:26at striking fixed targets at specific locations,
16:30the Quick-Sync can use its JDAM guidance systems
16:32to reach the general vicinity of a target ship,
16:35before switching to its radar and infrared sensors
16:38to find and then hone in on the vessel it's supposed to strike.
16:41In other words,
16:42it works against warships that are on the move.
16:45It can actually calculate a ship's direction and rate of travel,
16:48adjusting its own trajectory accordingly
16:50to successfully collide with the vessel's hull
16:53just below the waterline every single time.
16:56It's an extraordinary piece of technology,
16:58turning what were once relatively basic BLU-109 bombs
17:02into world-beating ship killers,
17:04with many military experts ranking the Quick-Sync
17:06among the most destructive anti-ship weapons in existence
17:09anywhere in the world today,
17:11right up alongside the likes of the Navy's Mark 48 heavy torpedoes.
17:15Just like conventional JDAMs,
17:18the Quick-Sync can be deployed up to 15 miles away from its targets.
17:21But if the Navy were to add JDAM LR technology to that same system,
17:26suddenly, you're dealing with a ship killer
17:28that's not only remarkably reliable and precise,
17:30but with the range of a cruise missile,
17:32using its glide wings and turbojet engine to reach targets
17:35that are potentially several hundred miles away.
17:38None of this has been officially confirmed,
17:41but several experts believe it's the most likely outcome
17:43based on what we know so far.
17:45On top of all of this,
17:47it's worth reiterating that the new JDAM LR technology
17:50introduces the ability for these precision munitions
17:53to generate their own electrical power
17:55thanks to their on-board turbine engines,
17:58which they can then use to support additional systems and add-ons,
18:01such as more advanced seekers, communication links, and more.
18:04In other words, with LR improvements,
18:07JDAMs are set to become far smarter
18:09and significantly more capable than ever before.
18:12In addition, while the Navy's testing only involved 500-pound warheads,
18:16it's certainly feasible that the JDAM LR kits
18:19will also be compatible with warheads of other weights and classes.
18:22Based on that,
18:24one might assume that the old-fashioned JDAMs might be on the way out,
18:27but that's almost certainly not going to happen.
18:29There's plenty of room in the Navy's arsenal for all of these systems,
18:33the original JDAMs, the ERs, and the LRs to coexist,
18:37as each one has its own distinct benefits and features.
18:39The originals and ER systems, for example,
18:42are much cheaper to make than the new LRs
18:44and are still ideal for relatively short-range applications
18:48on areas that aren't heavily defended by radars and missile batteries.
18:51The LRs, meanwhile,
18:53will be added to America's growing arsenal of standoff weapons,
18:57which tend to be most effective when used by more vulnerable aircraft
19:00in the opening stages of a conflict,
19:02when enemy air defenses are still online and operational.
19:05This is why it's so advantageous
19:07that all JDAM systems can work on the same aircraft,
19:11and teams can easily install
19:12and remove different types of JDAMs quickly and efficiently,
19:16making life a lot easier for U.S. commanders
19:18and a lot harder for America's enemies for generations to come.
19:22And JDAM LRs aren't the only thing
19:24that the U.S. Navy has been testing of late.
19:26Watch this video to see how the world's leading naval force
19:29has also started equipping aircraft carriers
19:32with science-fiction-style laser systems
19:34to blast enemy drones out of the air.
19:37Alternatively, check out this video
19:39for a look at how the U.S. Air Force
19:40deployed a top-secret spy drone into the skies over Iran,
19:44ushering in a whole new era of warfare in the process.
19:48And finally, make sure to subscribe to The Military Show
19:50for more breaking news and insightful analysis
19:53of the latest military innovations and conflicts around the globe.
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