Latest news with #JDAMs
AllAfrica
11-08-2025
- AllAfrica
South Korea's KF-21 fighter goes full beast mode
South Korea's KF-21 Boramae fighter is being reimagined as the KF-21EX, a stealthier, heavier-hitting evolution that blends homegrown design, deep-strike power and export ambition, giving Seoul a sovereign tool to strike deep, elude advanced air defenses and preserve a deterrent edge even if US support wavers. This month, The War Zone (TWZ) reported that Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) unveiled concept imagery of the KF-21EX, an upgraded KF-21 Boramae aimed at boosting survivability against enemy air defense systems. The aircraft introduces twin internal weapons bays capable of housing 900-kilogram-class Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), a critical improvement for penetrating hardened targets such as North Korean bunkers and command infrastructure. Although KF-21 EX is not on par with the F-35's stealth profile, it includes a reprofiled canopy, a low radar cross-section (RCS) radome, an advanced electronic warfare suite and a new Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS). KAI is also pursuing AI-enabled mission computers and expendable Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) decoys as options under study. It is intended to operate alongside South Korea's stealthy 'loyal wingman' drones under the Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) Combat System, with potential for a two-seat variant to coordinate drones and perform escort jamming. The internal carriage mitigates the payload limits of accompanying drones, ensuring the manned fighter retains a heavy-strike option while minimizing radar signature. With 120 KF-21s planned for ROK Air Force service by 2032, it is still unclear whether the EX will supplement or replace part of that fleet. KAI's modular approach positions it as a flexible, export-ready platform. The stealth upgrades, internal weapons bays and MUM-T integration give South Korea an indigenous deep-strike and air-superiority platform resilient to potential US capability gaps. As Washington and Seoul's alliance priorities diverge, the KF-21EX could become both a cornerstone of sovereign deterrence and a driver of South Korea's emergence as a global arms exporter. The KF-21EX's internal bays reduce detectability, allowing strikes on hardened targets deep in enemy territory while cutting RCS, improving survival odds in dense air-defense environments compared with the baseline KF-21. It may also be able to pair with South Korea's Low Observable Unmanned Wingman System (LOWUS) stealth combat drone, which is built for reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and strike roles in contested airspace. Autonomous features enable it to support crewed fighters with minimal operator input. The program began in 2021, with flight tests expected by 2027. Even with these advances, the US-made F-35 retains advantages. The US-based Autonomic Logistics Information System/Operational Data Integrated Network (ALIS/ODIN) pushes software and sustainment updates across the global F-35 fleet, while mission data—Mission Data Loads/Files (MDL/MDF)—is developed and fielded by US-based sovereign reprogramming labs such as the Australia-Canada-UK Reprogramming Lab (ACURL) or Norway-Italy Reprogramming Lab (NIRL) for their respective national fleets. These files underpin aircraft upgrades, predictive maintenance and threat recognition within each partner's reprogramming community. While South Korea operates F-35s, the KF-21EX preserves sovereignty over key air-superiority and deep-strike roles. The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) has warned that a successful cyberattack on ALIS/ODIN could disrupt F-35 fleet operations, degrade survivability against enemy defenses or even ground aircraft. Having a parallel indigenous capability mitigates that risk. Maintaining sovereign control of these roles is central to South Korea's deterrence calculus. The country's 2022 Defense White Paper identifies the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) plan as a core element of the three-axis defense strategy alongside Kill Chain and Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD). KMPR is designed to punish North Korea's leadership and core facilities in the event of nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction use, delivering rapid, concentrated strikes on command nodes and other critical targets to end aggression at its source. Yet alliance priorities are shifting. Frank Aum and Ankit Panda argue in a May 2025 Carnegie Endowment article that US policy toward North Korea is moving from denuclearization toward risk reduction and long-term peaceful coexistence, acknowledging Pyongyang's nuclear status as a near-term reality. They note that while Washington emphasizes arms control and tension reduction, Seoul remains focused on deterrence and counterforce. This divergence, they write, has created 'policy incoherence' in the alliance, with US officials increasingly accepting North Korea as a permanent nuclear power while South Korea resists recalibrating policy. Gabriela Bernal notes in a March 2025 Lowy Institute article that US President Donald Trump's 'America First' stance and skepticism toward overseas commitments may increase pressure on Seoul to shoulder more of its defense burden. In such a context, indigenous stealth and deep-strike capability could prove decisive in sustaining deterrence and warfighting capacity if the US scales back its Korean Peninsula military presence or limits F-35 support. Beyond the North Korea scenario, KAI is marketing the KF-21 and KF-21EX abroad. Poland, already buying US systems such as Apache attack helicopters, M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks and High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) rocket systems, has also purchased substantial quantities of South Korean gear, including FA-50 light fighters, K9 howitzers and K2 Black Panther tanks. In June 2025, Polish Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Ireneusz Nowak flew a KF-21 during an official visit to Sacheon Air Base, signaling Warsaw's potential interest and efforts to diversify suppliers. The UAE, meanwhile, has long sought F-35s from the US, but Washington balked over Abu Dhabi's use of China's Huawei 5G technology, citing espionage risks. While those F-35 negotiations remain stalled, the UAE and South Korea signed a KF-21 cooperation agreement in April 2025, enabling Emirati pilots to visit testing units, observe trials, and witness exercises involving the aircraft. With alliance dynamics evolving and export interest growing, the KF-21EX offers Seoul more than a sharper spear for deterrence—it could also serve as the flagship of South Korea's ascent into the top tier of global arms suppliers. Its combination of indigenous control, stealth enhancements, heavy-strike capacity and export potential positions it as a uniquely strategic asset in an Indo-Pacific security environment where technological edge and political autonomy are increasingly intertwined.
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
B-2 Bombed A Smiley Face Into The Ground Because It Ran Out Of Targets
A B-2 bomber left a smiley face made out of bomb craters on the 'runway' of a mock airfield during a test some two decades ago. This happened after personnel at the sprawling Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) had run out of shipping containers to turn into targets that a B-2 would hit during a single attack run. It's a reminder of just how much precision destruction America's upgraded stealth bombers can dole out in one pass. Air Force Maj. Gen. Jason Armagost, who was part of the crew that flew the test mission, mentioned the smiley face during an online talk that the Air & Space Forces Association's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies hosted yesterday. Armagost, who is now commander of the Eighth Air Force, to which the Air Force's current B-2s, B-1s, and B-52s are all assigned, used the anecdote to highlight the unique capabilities offered by heavy bombers. 'I happened to fly an operational test mission where we tested the carriage of 80 500-pound JDAM [Joint Direct Attack Munition precision guided bombs] and released them all in a span of a little over 20 seconds on an airfield in the UTTR,' Armagost said. 'I mean, that's an amazing sight to behold, such that we even ran out of CONEX boxes to strike, and so [we] drew a smiley face across the runway with JDAMs.' Armagost said that this flight occurred in 2004, but this appears to be in error. The rest of his description aligns completely with a widely publicized test that occurred on September 10, 2003. The specifics of the event are detailed in the video below, which makes no mention of drawing the smiley face. The faux airfield constructed on the UTTR for the September 2003 test was just under a mile long. In addition to two mock runways, one graded and one just a desert strip, it included nine distinct simulated target areas. These were designed to represent an aircraft revetment, a helicopter landing pad, a control tower, a vehicle park, a generic structure, a hangar, an SA-6 surface-to-air missile system site, a fuel storage site, and a Scud ballistic missile launch site. The mock revetment, control tower, generic structure, and hangar were all made using arrays of shipping containers. The B-2 bomber, flying at an altitude of some 40,000 feet, released all 80 JDAMs in a single pass. The GPS-assisted guidance packages in the tail fin sections in each of the bombs were programmed to hit a separate aim point, and all of the impacts occurred within a span of approximately 22 seconds. The JDAM was still a relatively new weapon at the time, and the B-2 used in the test had to be specially modified with new 'smart' bomb racks to be able to drop the bombs. There were also safety concerns about dropping that many bombs from a B-2 in such rapid succession, and 11 other test flights were conducted to gather key data before the final 80-bomb pass on the mock airfield. Today, JDAMs, which consist of one of a number of low-drag bomb bodies combined with a new tail section that contains the guidance system, as well as clamp-on aerodynamic strakes, are among the most widely used air-to-ground munitions in the U.S. military. In addition to 500-pound-class types, there are also 1,000 and 2,000-pound-class versions. The Air Force had certainly demonstrated the B-2's ability to drop large numbers of bombs, in general, before the September 2003 test. The service has continued to show off the B-2's capabilities in this regard in training and testing, as well as real-world operations, since 2003, as well. As mentioned, during yesterday's talk, Maj. Gen. Armagost used the 80 JDAM test to highlight the immense and unique capabilities that heavy bombers offer. The B-2, with its maximum payload capacity of around 60,000 pounds, has especially cavernous bomb bays. It is notably the only aircraft currently certified to operationally employ the 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bomb, the heaviest conventional munition in U.S. service today. It can carry two MOPs in its internal weapons bays. The MOP has now become a household name after the bombs were dropped on real targets for the first time during the Operation Midnight Hammer strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June. Armagost's remarks yesterday about the 80 JDAM test came in response to a question about what he would want fellow airmen to better understand about the differences between what fighters and bombers bring to the fight. 'Bombers are an order of magnitude difference [from fighters] in what you can do with them,' he also said. 'Now, they nest incredibly well together, right? We see that with our partners and allies, who … fly fighters as their power projection capability. But when we nest them together with bombers, it is a completely different animal.' The United States is currently alone in the West as an operator of bombers. It is a small club overall, with Russia and China being the only other countries that do so anywhere else globally. 'I'll reflect back to that, that B-2 example of 80 500-pound JDAMs in a matter of a little over 20 seconds, and that was one aircraft,' Armagost said later on in yesterday's talk. 'It's like the example we used to give of World War II attacks requiring massive formations with high numbers of people at risk to get a single target. And then, as we transition through the precision capability, kind of revolution, and then evolution, you get down to single aircraft with single targets. And then the B-2 with multiple targets per aircraft. And, so, most simply, the cost, the strike efficiency, and the cost per kill comes down to: it matters how big your weapons bay is.' Now it also 'matters what access you have bought with the platform or with the weapons, in the case of hypersonics from range, or a penetrating force bringing large numbers inside of denied airspace,' the Eighth Air Force commander added. The ability of a single B-2 to destroy, or at least inflict severe damage, on a large facility like an airfield with pinpoint accuracy on a single pass, even when flying miles from the target, remains a significant capability, although one that is waning with the advent of ever more advanced integrated air defense systems. Regardless, this unprecedented ability is something TWZ has highlighted in the past when talking about the B-2. In line with all of this, Armagost spent much of his time yesterday talking about the critical value he sees coming not just from the size of the planned fleet for forthcoming B-21 Raider bombers, as you can read more about here. The Air Force plans to buy at least 100 B-21s, if not many more. The service currently has just 19 B-2 bombers out of a total of 21 that were ever produced, which imposes significant limits on their operational capacity despite the highly valuable 'silver bullet' capabilities they offer, as was demonstrated during the Midnight hammer strikes. The B-21 is smaller than the B-2, and won't be able to carry as much gross tonnage of ordnance per sortie. Still, the Raider could have an even more impressive 'single pass' strike capability, all while offering enhanced survivability. While 80 JDAMs may not be on the weapons menu, with new smaller standoff munition options like the GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) or its successor, the GBU-53/B StormBreaker, the B-21 could exceed the quantity of the B-2's bomb load. And it could release those weapons at standoff ranges, eclipsing the B-2's impressive direct attack capabilities. The B-2 is not currently capable of employing the SDB or Stormbreaker. The ability to launch even small but just as accurate drones that can network together to swarm targets with deadly precision could take this capability even another step forward. Regardless of what the future holds, the smiley face anecdote that Maj. Gen. Armagost shared underscores why the Air Force's B-2s will continue to be prized for their unique ability to bring heavy ordnance loads deep into defended and deal massive, highly-efficient destruction in minimal time. Contact the author: joe@
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First Post
01-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Trump to host Netanyahu at White House next week amid Gaza ceasefire push
President Donald Trump is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next Monday, according to reports. The visit comes as Trump intensifies efforts to push for a ceasefire in Gaza. read more President Donald Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next Monday, news agency AP reported citing US officials. The visit hasn't been officially announced yet, and the officials briefed about the visit on condition of anonymity. The meeting comes as Trump steps up efforts to push Israel toward a ceasefire deal in Gaza and a possible hostage release. Earlier this week, Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer was in Washington to hold talks with senior US officials on Gaza, Iran, and related issues. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has recently said he is focusing on ending the conflict between Israel and Hamas, especially after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran took effect last week. On Friday, he told reporters, 'We think within the next week we're going to get a ceasefire' in Gaza, but gave no further details. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that the Trump administration is in constant contact with Israeli leaders and ending the war in Gaza is a top priority. 'It's heartbreaking to see the images coming out of both Israel and Gaza. The president wants to end the war and save lives,' she said. Trump is also expected to show strong support for Netanyahu amid criticism from Democratic lawmakers and others questioning the impact of Israeli and US strikes on Iran's nuclear program. A US Defense Intelligence Agency report said the strikes caused serious damage to key Iranian nuclear sites—Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan—but did not completely destroy them. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said on CBS' Face the Nation that the sites were significantly damaged, though some capabilities remain. He added that Iran could restart its nuclear work if it chooses, depending on whether it allows inspectors full access. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has also stirred controversy by commenting on Netanyahu's ongoing corruption trial. Last week, he called the charges a 'WITCH HUNT' on social media and claimed the US would 'save' Netanyahu. His comments have sparked concern within Israel's political circles, as the case remains a deeply divisive issue. Meanwhile, the Trump administration on Monday approved a $510 million arms sale to Israel. The package includes over 7,000 bomb guidance kits known as JDAMs, used for precision airstrikes. While relatively small compared to the over $3 billion in annual US military aid to Israel, the deal helps replenish key supplies used in the war with Hamas and recent attacks on Iran. The State Department said, 'The United States is committed to Israel's security, and this sale supports that goal by helping Israel maintain a strong defense capability.'
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel's air superiority lets it strike Iran on the cheap — and force Tehran into costly retaliation
Israeli fighter jets have battered Iran's air defenses, allowing them to operate more freely. The degraded surface-to-air missile threat means Israeli aircraft can use cheaper weapons to strike. Iran, meanwhile, is left retaliating with its more expensive ballistic missiles. The Israeli military says it has achieved air superiority over swaths of Iran, including the capital Tehran, after battering the country's air defenses in recent bombing runs. The Monday declaration that Israel has an overwhelming advantage in the air comes just a few days into an intensive operation aimed at degrading Iran's nuclear program and wiping out its military capabilities, including a substantial number of surface-to-air missile launchers. Israel is operating its F-35I stealth fighter jets above Iran and also its fourth-generation aircraft, like the F-16 and F-15, that lack some of the same low observable capabilities but can drop cheap glide bombs on Iranian targets. On Sunday, Israeli fighter jets struck the Mashhad airport in eastern Iran, some 1,400 miles away, marking Israel's longest-range attack since beginning its bombing campaign and further underscoring its ability to fly largely uncontested above Iran. The effective Israeli strikes on Iranian air defenses and military airports "will degrade Iran's ability to restrict Israeli operations in its airspace," the Institute for the Study of War, a conflict studies think tank in Washington, DC, said on Sunday. Weapons analysts have identified Israeli fighter jets armed with Joint Direct Attack Munitions. JDAMs, which are made by the US defense contractor Boeing, are dumb bombs fitted with relatively cheap guidance kits that turn them into precision-guided munitions. These weapons are not considered stand-off weapons. Analysts have also spotted Israeli aircraft armed with SPICE bombs. Like JDAMs, guidance kits that turn dumb bombs into precision weapons. They are made by the local defense firm Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Open-source intelligence accounts have noted the use of JDAMs and SPICE — which stands for Smart, Precise Impact, Cost-Effective — bombs in the airstrikes across Iran, including around Tehran. Israel's ability to fire these munitions suggests it is less concerned about defenses and does not necessarily have to employ its more expensive missiles for high-value targets. It has more options. Iran, which lacks a strong air force, has retaliated against Israel by firing more than 370 ballistic missiles in multiple waves since Friday. There have been at least 30 impact sites so far, killing two dozen people and wounding over 590 others, according to Israeli government statistics. Ballistic missiles, which can cost millions of dollars apiece, are much more expensive than the individual JDAMs and SPICE bombs Israel is using to strike Iran. A single JDAM, for instance, may cost only tens of thousands of dollars. By firing multiple salvos of missiles, Iran is depleting its stockpiles; it is estimated to have hundreds, possibly thousands, that can reach Israel. Israel said on Monday that it had destroyed a third of Tehran's launchers during the fight, limiting its ability to get missiles off the ground. Iran has also launched hundreds of drones at Israel. While these are much cheaper than the missiles — Tehran's notorious Shahed-136 drone is estimated to cost as little as $20,000 — these weapons also travel significantly slower and are much easier to intercept. However, Iran's missile and drone fire forces Israel to expend valuable air defenses, adding to a growing financial toll. At the lower end, a single Iron Dome interceptor costs some $50,000. A missile launched from the Arrow-3 system, which can intercept incoming targets in space, costs several million dollars. US officials said American forces in the region have helped to shoot down Iranian missiles aimed at Israel, but they have said that Washington is not involved in offensive operations. Israeli officials announced the start of "Operation Rising Lion," aimed at degrading Iran's nuclear program, last Friday. Israeli fighter jets have carried out widespread airstrikes across Iran, targeting its nuclear facilities and top scientists, in addition to other military targets, such as Tehran's missile launchers, weapons production sites, air defenses, and senior commanders. The operation could derail President Donald Trump's efforts to reach a new nuclear deal with Iran. Tehran argues that its nuclear program is for civilian use only. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long pushed for a military approach to deal with what he describes as an existential threat. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
Israel's air superiority lets it strike Iran on the cheap — and force Tehran into costly retaliation
Israeli fighter jets have battered Iran's air defenses, allowing them to operate more freely. The degraded surface-to-air missile threat means Israeli aircraft can use cheaper weapons to strike. Iran, meanwhile, is left retaliating with its more expensive ballistic missiles. The Israeli military says it has achieved air superiority over swaths of Iran, including the capital Tehran, after battering the country's air defenses in recent bombing runs. The Monday declaration that Israel has an overwhelming advantage in the air comes just a few days into an intensive operation aimed at degrading Iran's nuclear program and wiping out its military capabilities, including a substantial number of surface-to-air missile launchers. Israel is operating its F-35I stealth fighter jets above Iran and also its fourth-generation aircraft, like the F-16 and F-15, that lack some of the same low observable capabilities but can drop cheap glide bombs on Iranian targets. On Sunday, Israeli fighter jets struck the Mashhad airport in eastern Iran, some 1,400 miles away, marking Israel's longest-range attack since beginning its bombing campaign and further underscoring its ability to fly largely uncontested above Iran. The effective Israeli strikes on Iranian air defenses and military airports "will degrade Iran's ability to restrict Israeli operations in its airspace," the Institute for the Study of War, a conflict studies think tank in Washington, DC, said on Sunday. Weapons analysts have identified Israeli fighter jets armed with Joint Direct Attack Munitions. JDAMs, which are made by the US defense contractor Boeing, are dumb bombs fitted with relatively cheap guidance kits that turn them into precision-guided munitions. These weapons are not considered stand-off weapons. Analysts have also spotted Israeli aircraft armed with SPICE bombs. Like JDAMs, guidance kits that turn dumb bombs into precision weapons. They are made by the local defense firm Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Open-source intelligence accounts have noted the use of JDAMs and SPICE — which stands for Smart, Precise Impact, Cost-Effective — bombs in the airstrikes across Iran, including around Tehran. Israel's ability to fire these munitions suggests it is less concerned about defenses and does not necessarily have to employ its more expensive missiles for high-value targets. It has more options. Iran, which lacks a strong air force, has retaliated against Israel by firing more than 370 ballistic missiles in multiple waves since Friday. There have been at least 30 impact sites so far, killing two dozen people and wounding over 590 others, according to Israeli government statistics. Ballistic missiles, which can cost millions of dollars apiece, are much more expensive than the individual JDAMs and SPICE bombs Israel is using to strike Iran. A single JDAM, for instance, may cost only tens of thousands of dollars. By firing multiple salvos of missiles, Iran is depleting its stockpiles; it is estimated to have hundreds, possibly thousands, that can reach Israel. Israel said on Monday that it had destroyed a third of Tehran's launchers during the fight, limiting its ability to get missiles off the ground. Iran has also launched hundreds of drones at Israel. While these are much cheaper than the missiles — Tehran's notorious Shahed-136 drone is estimated to cost as little as $20,000 — these weapons also travel significantly slower and are much easier to intercept. However, Iran's missile and drone fire forces Israel to expend valuable air defenses, adding to a growing financial toll. At the lower end, a single Iron Dome interceptor costs some $50,000. A missile launched from the Arrow-3 system, which can intercept incoming targets in space, costs several million dollars. US officials said American forces in the region have helped to shoot down Iranian missiles aimed at Israel, but they have said that Washington is not involved in offensive operations. Israeli officials announced the start of "Operation Rising Lion," aimed at degrading Iran's nuclear program, last Friday. Israeli fighter jets have carried out widespread airstrikes across Iran, targeting its nuclear facilities and top scientists, in addition to other military targets, such as Tehran's missile launchers, weapons production sites, air defenses, and senior commanders. The operation could derail President Donald Trump's efforts to reach a new nuclear deal with Iran. Tehran argues that its nuclear program is for civilian use only. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long pushed for a military approach to deal with what he describes as an existential threat.
