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Boeing will explore a powered Joint Direct Attack Munition under a memorandum of understanding signed with Australia industry partner Ferra Engineering.
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Under the agreement, both companies will continue the production of Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Extended Range wing kits and explore applications for a long-range, low-cost, and mass-producible JDAM derivative capable of travelling upwards of 300 nautical miles. Joint Direct Attack Munition guidance kits that allow the conversion of unguided bombs or “dumb bombs” into all-weather precision-guided munitions.
Under the memorandum, the partnership will be extended through 2028 with Brisbane-based Ferra acting as Boeing’s global supplier of the 500-pound JDAM ER wing kits.
“These wing kits, developed by Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group and produced for Boeing by Ferra in collaboration with US partners, are a success story for Australian industry,” according to Bob Ciesla, Boeing Precision Engagement Systems vice-president.
“Our participation in Defence’s Global Supply Chain (GSC) Program helped enable the partnership on JDAM ER wing kits and now opportunities for Powered JDAM.
“Powered JDAM will exponentially increase the effective range of the munition, and alongside the JDAM ER, will effectively and affordably meet a variety of defence needs around the world.”
The partnership aligns with the Australian Defence Force’s commitment to enhance sovereign weapons capability under the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise and aligns with the AUKUS security partnership goal of advancing trilateral defence capabilities.
Chief of Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Air Marshal Leon Phillips praised the joint efforts of the Defence Science and Technology Group, Boeing and Ferra.
“This project is a great example of Australian industry working with Defence to the great benefit of one of our key allies, the United States,” he said.
The JDAM ER kits reportedly triple the effective range of the standard JDAM, a low-cost option to convert the existing munitions into guided smart munitions.
“The RAAF was Boeing’s first JDAM ER customer and we have partnered with Boeing for 12 years to produce this critical global defence capability,” said Ferra Engineering managing director Aaron Thompson.
“This assures our production pipeline and paves the way for continued innovation, such as Powered JDAM.
“The expanded partnership further strengthens Australian industry’s capacity to contribute to the future needs of the Australian Defence Force and support its priorities to deter aggression and defend our country and our allies in the rapidly evolving threat environment.”
