Israel to order more JDAMs

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The Israel air force plans to spend about US $100 million to replenish stocks of precision guided weapons used during the month long conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon. This procurement will exercise options to buy JDAM weapon under a 2004 contract for the procurement of up to 5,000 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) of different types.

In the past, the IAF used JDAM kits with locally used 2,000 pound warheads, including MK-84 (200 pound), BLU-109 penetration warheads, MK-83 1000 pound and MK-82 500 pound bombs. The IAF was the first international customer to receive JDAMs in the year 2000. Since then, 12 additional international customers have purchased JDAM. As a result of heavy usage during Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), production numbers were extensively increased. As of January 2006, Boeing has delivered more than 145,000 JDAM tail kits. In 2006 Boeing produced 3,000 JDAMs every month, responding to requirements of about 230,000 JDAM kits in several configurations to fit the various warheads.