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Paveway II – IV
GBU-10 / 12/ 24 / 28
Raytheon
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Since their inception
in 1968, the Laser Guided Bombs (LGB) have revolutionized tactical
air-to-ground warfare. Current production versions are based on
3rd generation weapons, offering semi-active laser guidance
combined with GPS targeting, a system first utilized during OIF.
The semi-active laser guided munitions drastically reduce the
numbers of weapons and sorties required to destroy a target, but
also feature accuracy, reliability, and cost-effectiveness
previously unattainable with conventional weapons.
 Due to their
high precision, LGB kits are usually attached to structure
penetration bombs, such as the BLU-109B capable of penetrating up
to 2.4 meters of reinforced concrete. Such a weapon uses 240 kg of
high explosives, encased in hardened steel shell weighing 874kg.
Much larger penetrating weapons were developed by the USAF for
destruction of underground shelters. One such weapon is the
Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) weapon, carried by C-130,
B-1, B-2 and
B-52 bombers. The weapon is loaded with 8,170 kg warhead
and has a CEP of four meters. During Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF),
Paveway LGBs made up nearly half of all air-to-ground Precision
Guided Munitions (PGMs) used by coalition forces. In 1991
Operation Desert Storm, the vast majority of weapons were
unguided, however, in OIF, the ratio of guided- to unguided
munitions reversed.
Enhanced Laser Guided Bombs (ELGB) are enhanced with additional
GPS guidance capability, to enable improved operational
flexibility and employment under adverse weather conditions such
as heavy clouds coverage, minimizing laser use (stealth) or
presence of countermeasures. With the addition of GPS capability,
the LGB can "memorize" the laser spot location, and continue to
navigate to this spot for up to 10 seconds after the laser
designation goes off for any reason. The weapon can also be
employed in GPS only mode, attacking targets whose coordinates are
known. The Enhanced Paveway interfaces with the aircraft avionics
over the Mil-Std 1760 armament bus, and can be programmed to
memorize up to eight target locations, to enable rapid retargeting
during flight. When 1760 is not available (older aircraft), the
weapon can be programmed with one target prior to takeoff, and
engage targets designated by coded laser, when such signals are
detected.
During OIF Enhanced Paveway II and III bombs demonstrated the
advantages of such combined seekers operating in all-weather
conditions with minimized collateral damage. They also offered the
flexibility to re-program new target positions whilst airborne,
especially where time sensitive targeting became increasingly
important. Their dual-mode guidance system meant that they could
be delivered laser guidance if accurate target co-ordinates were
not available.
The Paveway IV is the latest generation member of the Paveway
family of precision guided munitions built by Raytheon. The weapon
has evolved from Enhanced Paveway, which the RAF has already
employed. For the PGB program, Paveway IV guidance kits will be
fitted to 500-lb warheads. It will enter service with the RAF in
2006.
The BLU-118B thermobaric warhead can also be equipped with laser
guidance kit. Despite the large area they affect, thermobaric
charges must be placed in fixed position to create the optimal
overpressure and heat effect within the target enclosures. The
BLU-118B is designed to fit the Mk-84 size weapon size and GBU-24
guidance kit. Following laser designation, these
 weapons can be
aimed directly at cave entrances or penetrate rooftops, to explode
inside the underground cavities. When compared to standard BLU-109
penetration warhead explosive, BLU-118B shows significant increase
in overpressure and pressure-impulse inside a tunnel complex. The
weapon was first deployed in combat On March 2002 against a cave
complex in the Gardez region of Afghanistan. |
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