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300:, in 1968. All such bombs work in much the same way, relying on the target being illuminated, or "painted," by a laser target designator on the ground or on an aircraft. They have the significant disadvantage of not being usable in poor weather where the target illumination cannot be seen, or where it is not possible to get a target designator near the target. The laser designator sends its beam in a series of
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configurations, a laser guidance package is added to a GPS/INS guided weapon to increase the overall accuracy of the weapons. Raytheon has developed the
Enhanced Paveway family, which adds GPS/INS guidance to their Paveway family of laser-guidance packages. These "hybrid" laser and GPS guided weapons
201:
and flare sights, by which the bomb would be steered until the flare superimposed the target. The camera bombs transmitted a "bomb's eye view" of the target back to a controlling aircraft. An operator in this aircraft then transmitted control signals to steerable fins fitted to the bomb. Such weapons
372:
Lessons learned during the first Gulf War showed the value of precision munitions, yet they also highlighted the difficulties in employing them—specifically when visibility of the ground or target from the air was degraded. The problem of poor visibility does not affect satellite-guided weapons such
412:
The precision of these weapons is dependent both on the precision of the measurement system used for location determination and the precision in setting the coordinates of the target. The latter critically depends on intelligence information, not all of which is accurate. According to a CIA report,
339:
II and the
Paveway III. The Paveway III guidance system is more aerodynamically efficient and so has a longer range, however it is more expensive. Paveway II 500-pound LGBs (such as GBU-12) are a cheaper lightweight PGM suitable for use against vehicles and other small targets, while a Paveway III
307:
Laser-guided weapons did not become commonplace until the advent of the microchip. They made their practical debut in
Vietnam, where on 13 May 1972 when they were used in the second successful attack on the Thanh Hoa Bridge ("Dragon's Jaw"). This structure had previously been the target of 800
393:
in the event of GPS signal loss. Inertial navigation is significantly less accurate; the JDAM achieves a published circular error probable (CEP) of 13 m under GPS guidance, but typically only 30 m under inertial guidance (with free fall times of 100 seconds or less).
589:
permit the carriage of fewer weapons types, while retaining mission flexibility, because these weapons can be employed equally against moving and fixed targets, or targets of opportunity. For instance, a typical weapons load on an F-16 flying in the
425:
accurate, satellite-guided weapons are significantly more likely to achieve a successful strike in any given weather conditions than any other type of precision-guided munition. Other military satellite guidance systems include: Russian
101:
Guided bombs carry a guidance system which is usually monitored and controlled from an external device. A guided bomb of a given weight must carry fewer explosives to accommodate the guidance mechanisms.
210:
because the political climate was increasingly intolerant of civilian casualties, and because it was possible to strike difficult targets (such as bridges) effectively with a single mission; the
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312:. That first mission also had laser-guided weapons, but bad weather prevented their use. They were used, though not on a large scale, by the British forces during the 1982
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2000-pound penetrator (such as GBU-24) is a more expensive weapon suitable for use against high-value targets. GBU-12s were used to great effect in the first
906:
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Lessons learned during the first Gulf War showed the value of guided bombs, with precision-guided munitions accounting for 70% of munitions expended during
153:, primarily used in the Pacific Theater of World War II which used autonomous, on-board radar guidance. In addition, the U.S. tested the rocket-propelled
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324:. Even so, most of the air-dropped ordnance used in that war was "dumb," although the percentages are biased by the large use of various (unguided)
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American sorties (using unguided weapons) and was partially destroyed in each of two successful attacks, the other being on 27 April 1972 using
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system for guidance. This weapon can be employed in all weather conditions, without any need for ground support. Because it is possible to
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597:, these same aircraft can carry more bombs if necessary, and have the option of satellite or laser guidance for each weapon release.
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pulses so the bomb cannot be confused by an ordinary laser, and also so multiple designators can operate in reasonable proximity.
969:
BBC story on the first employment of the JSOW, guidance failures were attributed to a software error that was subsequently fixed.
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guidance systems and by 1967 the USAF had conducted a competitive evaluation leading to full development of the world's first
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guidance systems and by 1967 the USAF had conducted a competitive evaluation leading to full development of the world's first
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would do with the Azon in hitting bridges and other hard-to-hit targets in both
Western Europe and Burma. Later, U.S.
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214:, for instance, was attacked repeatedly with gravity bombs, to no effect, only to be dropped in one mission with PGMs.
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The
Germans were first to introduce Precision Guided Munitions (PGMs) in combat, using the 1,400-kg (3,100 lb)
493:, which used infrared to home on ships. While it entered production in 1945, it was never employed operationally.
266:, which used infrared to home on ships. While it entered production in 1945, it was never employed operationally.
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has developed a Laser JDAM (LJDAM) to provide both types of guidance in a single kit. Based on the existing
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by NATO aircraft was attributed to faulty target information. However, if the targeting information
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Responding to after-action reports from pilots who employed laser and/or satellite guided weapons,
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There are two basic families of laser-guided bombs in
American (and American-sphere) service: the
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The creation of precision-guided munitions resulted in the retroactive renaming of older bombs as
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aircraft to destroy Iraqi armored vehicles in a process referred to as "tank plinking."
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guided ordnance designs were used in combat by Nazi
Germany against ships, as the
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included a single 2,000-lb JDAM and two 500-lb LGBs. With LJDAM, and the new
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881:"Air Power Against Terror: America's Conduct of Operation Enduring Freedom"
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316:. The first large-scale use of smart weapons came in 1991 during Operation
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aircraft to destroy Iraqi armored vehicles in a process referred to as "
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GBU-10 shortly before it impacts a small boat during a training exercise
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458:. Its usage increased after the success of the weapon in the Gulf War.
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BBC story discussing the limitations of guided munition employment.
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328:. Laser-guided weapons were used in large numbers during the 1999
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from its center internal bay while flying at supersonic speed
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TV-guided bomb are still being used, in conjunction with the
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Article about
Ukrainian guided bomb development, August 2006
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with a combination of GPS/INS and electro-optical guidance
713:"Precision guided munitions and the new era of warfare"
715:. Air Power Studies Centre, Royal Australian Air Force
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newsreel 52/51A, June 23, 1952. Accessed 2013-04-04.
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Ukraine develops indigenous guided airborne weapons
814:JDAM continues to be warfighter's weapon of choice
19:"Smart bomb" redirects here. For other uses, see
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477:In World War II, the aforementioned Fritz X and
320:when they were used by coalition forces against
848:DCI Statement on the Belgrade Chinese Embassy
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381:(JSOW), which make use of the United States'
194:) was reintroduced. They were equipped with
141:(AZimuth ONly), used in both Europe and the
137:equivalents were the 1,000-lb (454 kg)
962:A Brief History of Precision Guided Weapons
440:Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System
415:bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade
525:In 1962, the US Army began research into
288:In 1962, the US Army began research into
16:Bomb controllable from an external device
826:Factsheets: Joint Direct Attack Munition
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465:
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548:were used to great effect in the first
509:fitted with radio guidance) during the
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973:"Fact File: Smart Bombs - not so Smart
617:XM395 Precision Guided Mortar Munition
389:GPS, the guidance package reverts to
217:Although not as popular as the newer
168:, but had few successes; the German
97:warhead variant) strikes its target.
487:National Defense Research Committee
454:The guided bomb had its origins in
260:National Defense Research Committee
179:The U.S. programs restarted in the
124:to successfully attack the Italian
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967:"Smart bombs" missed Iraqi targets
436:BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
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993:World War II Glide Bombs (Part2)
987:World War II Glide Bombs (Part1)
893:from the original on 2014-10-21.
755:, Volume 10, p.1090, "Gargoyle".
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953:newsreel 52/51A, June 23, 1952.
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133:in September 1943. The closest
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879:Lambeth, Benjamin S. (2005).
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444:Quasi-Zenith Satellite System
206:in the last few years of the
164:used similar techniques with
162:United States Army Air Forces
607:M1156 Precision Guidance Kit
501:The US briefly deployed the
375:Joint Direct Attack Munition
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869:, Volume 9, p.926, "Felix".
768:, Volume 9, p.926, "Felix".
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515:Boeing B-29 Superfortresses
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225:weapons, or even the older
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21:Smart bomb (disambiguation)
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711:Hamilton, Richard (1995).
576:Advanced guidance concepts
570:Operation Enduring Freedom
505:(or VB-13 Tarson) bomb (a
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258:In World War II, the U.S.
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229:systems, weapons like the
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997:"World War II Glide Bombs
991:"World War II Glide Bombs
985:"World War II Glide Bombs
922:Raytheon Enhanced Paveway
652:Precision-guided munition
627:Krasnopol (weapon system)
176:" was no more effective.
58:precision-guided munition
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687:Magnetic proximity fuze
62:circular error probable
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419:Operation Allied Force
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379:Joint Stand-Off Weapon
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513:, dropping them from
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957:How Smart Bombs Work
886:. RAND Corporation.
796:Britain's Small Wars
442:, Japanese regional
183:. In the 1960s, the
33:, the world's first
1023:Targeting (warfare)
837:JDAM Specifications
642:Wire-guided missile
595:Small Diameter Bomb
391:inertial navigation
166:Operation Aphrodite
999:Modern Glide Bombs
927:2008-03-07 at the
909:2006-05-22 at the
853:2006-10-04 at the
801:2011-01-20 at the
783:2005-11-09 at the
632:Strix mortar round
546:GBU-12 Paveway IIs
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237:Data Link Pod, on
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946:Bomb With A Brain
904:Boeing Laser JDAM
735:Bomb With A Brain
672:Terminal guidance
531:laser-guided bomb
294:laser-guided bomb
227:laser-guided bomb
174:parasite aircraft
71:or "dumb bombs".
44:(also known as a
35:laser-guided bomb
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717:. Retrieved
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537:, in 1968.
521:Vietnam War
430:, European
377:(JDAM) and
364:releases a
208:Vietnam War
192:camera bomb
143:CBI Theater
42:guided bomb
1007:Categories
719:2009-02-02
647:Glide bomb
511:Korean War
497:Korean War
491:VB-6 Felix
434:, Chinese
402:HOPE/HOSBO
330:Kosovo War
264:VB-6 Felix
196:television
181:Korean War
145:, and the
126:battleship
120:-guidance
46:smart bomb
406:Luftwaffe
352:Satellite
302:encrypted
925:Archived
907:Archived
888:Archived
867:op. cit.
851:Archived
799:Archived
781:Archived
766:op. cit.
753:op. cit.
601:See also
591:Iraq War
550:Gulf War
541:Gulf War
535:BOLT-117
342:Gulf War
310:Walleyes
298:BOLT-117
248:Infrared
155:Gargoyle
75:Guidance
31:BOLT-117
662:Missile
507:Tallboy
450:History
432:Galileo
428:GLONASS
417:during
404:of the
337:Paveway
239:US Navy
235:AAW-144
199:cameras
147:US Navy
122:Fritz X
95:BLU-109
64:(CEP).
56:) is a
582:Boeing
554:F-111F
533:, the
346:F-111F
296:, the
170:Mistel
135:Allied
91:GBU-24
891:(PDF)
884:(PDF)
698:Notes
527:laser
483:USAAF
290:laser
270:Laser
118:MCLOS
106:Radio
52:, or
586:JDAM
366:JDAM
362:F-22
322:Iraq
223:JSOW
221:and
219:JDAM
204:USAF
190:(or
188:bomb
160:The
139:AZON
130:Roma
949:".
738:".
560:".
387:jam
383:GPS
373:as
360:An
151:Bat
149:'s
54:GBU
1009::
572:.
517:.
470:A
446:.
438:,
423:is
244:.
48:,
40:A
943:"
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93:(
23:.
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