The US Navy has demonstrated the Lockheed Martin-built Paveway II dual mode laser guided bomb (DMLGB) capability at the tactics development exercises held at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Fallon, Nevada.
During the two-day drills, F/A-18C/D Hornet attack aircraft and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft have released 36 GBU-12F/B bombs, fitted with recently upgraded paveway II DMLGB guidance kits, in four missions.
Used in tactically representative engagements, the bombs hit fixed targets while meeting all mission requirements and demonstrated the increased operational utility of the enhancements.
Lockheed Martin missiles and fire control precision guided systems manager, Joe Serra, said that the company has worked closely with the US Navy and marine corps to design and build the block II operational flight programme software upgrade to the paveway II DMLGB guidance kits.
"Delivered to the fleet earlier this year, the enhanced fire-and-forget technology of our DMLGB kits provide naval warfighters with a mature and highly maneuverable all-weather direct-attack capability," Serra said.
The exercises also involved aircrews from the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center and Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Nine (VX-9) Vampires from the US Naval Air Weapons Station in China Lake, California, US.
The paveway II DMLGB upgrade to block II operational flight programme software enhances overall weapon performance and effectiveness in all three release modes.
More than 65,000 LGB kits and over 125,000 enhanced laser guided training rounds have been delivered to the US Navy, marine corps, air force and international customers to date.
The company has also upgraded more than 7,000 paveway II LGB guidance kits with dual mode, all-weather capability for the US Navy.
Image: US Navy’s F-35B test aircraft release Paveway II bomb. Photo: courtesy of Layne Laughter.
