The US Marine Corps (USMC) has successfully demonstrated Lockheed Martin’s dual-mode laser-guided bomb (DMLGB) capability during the weapons and tactics instructor training.
During the exercise, which was conducted at the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, US, 19 GBU-12F/B DMLGB weapons were launched from McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier aircraft in tactically representative engagements.
The crew used various targeting modes against fixed targets and all weapons performed successfully, meeting USMC’s mission objectives.
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control precision-guided systems manager Joe Serra said: "We partnered with the US Navy and Marine Corps to support day and night exercises that employed our enhanced DMLGB.
"DMLGB’s expanded launch area provides greater mission flexibility and standoff range compared to other dual-mode direct-attack weapons."
The DMLGB makes it possible to add GPS / inertial navigation system (INS) guidance to standard laser-guided bomb weapons. This enables the US Navy and the Marine Corps to conduct precision-strike missions against stationary and relocatable targets in all weather conditions.
The DMLGB has been designed to operate either in laser mode only, GPS/INS mode only or dual mode, and is aimed at providing flexibility to engage various target types in a single mission for pilots.
Lockheed upgraded the DMLGB’s block II operational flight programme software in 2013, enhancing overall weapon performance and effectiveness in all release modes.
More than 7,000 Paveway II LGB guidance kits have been upgraded by the company with dual-mode, all-weather capability.
The company has delivered more than 70,000 LGB kits and over 135,000 enhanced laser-guided training rounds to the US Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and 20 international customers.
