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SPICE precision
guidance kit, is designed for the Mk-83 and Mk-84 type bombs,
including IMI's PB-500 and enhanced penetration bombs. The 4.2
meter long SPICE equipped bomb is capable of precision strike from
a standoff range of up to 60 kilometers, when launched by F-16
class aircraft from an altitude of 42,000 feet. Target acquisition
is relatively simple, as the pilot has to fly to a predestinated
launch area, where he can select the specific target to be
attacked from the SPICE memory. After launch, the weapon is
navigated by means of GPS and Inertial Navigation System (INS)
(Ring-Laser Gyro), to the target area, where the imaging sensor is
activated, and adding scene matching to the weapon's navigation.
The SPICE locates
various reference points and correlates them to find the predicted
location of the target even without GPS input. At the terminal
homing phase, the weapon is guided exclusively by the
electro-optical sensor, to overcome target location error and GPS
jamming. Since SPICE is not dependent on laser designation, at
close-in distances, the weapon recognizes the exact shape of the
target, correlated with the 3D model stored in its memory, which
was based on intelligence information.
SPICE's attack
profile can be set to dive steeply onto the target. As the target
image gets larger, the weapon selects the exact aimpoint to
assure high precision minimizing collateral damage. RAFAEL also
offers an optional data-link to provide attack verification and
initial battle damage assessment. Unlike many PGMs, the SPICE does
not rely exclusively on 1760 bus, and therefore, can be employed
on various types of aircraft. Several targets can be preloaded on
each weapon. Targets data, flight path and scene details are
stored on a detachable memory unit, which can be loaded on the
weapon before takeoff. Prior to weapon release, the pilot selects
the specific targets. As SPICE is independent of the
aircraft data bus, it is autonomous from the aircraft software
update cycles, and can enhance the operational capability of
operational forces without special preparations and aircraft
modifications.
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