The U.S. Air Force started flight-testing a Boeing 500-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) on a B-2 bomber with recent successful separation tests at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

The bomber released 16 of the lightweight JDAMs, designated MK-82 500-pound JDAM or GBU-38 by the Air Force, from four smart bomb racks in the bomb bay of the aircraft. The new smart bomb racks were designed and built by Boeing to allow the B-2 to carry up to 80 of the 500-pound JDAM bombs.

Each smart bomb rack carries 20 500-pound JDAMs. Boeing engineers and produces the electronics that directs the power and interface signals to the JDAMs in St. Charles, Mo., while workers at the Boeing facilities in Seattle engineered, manufactured, and installed the bomb rack kit and software for the B-2. The flight test was to verify that the weapons could be dropped from the aircraft successfully in a planned sequence with the correct timing and spacing between individual bombs.

“The potential to drop 80 500- pound JDAMs on separate targets gives the B-2 an enormous capability,” said Kim Michel, Boeing JDAM program manager. “The smaller warhead means less collateral damage as well as increased quantity on the aircraft.”

JDAM is a low-cost guidance kit that converts existing unguided free-fall bombs into accurately guided “smart” weapons. Boeing is producing kits for both 2,000 - and 1,000-pound warheads. A contract is expected this spring to begin production of a 500-pound warhead kit.

The tests mark the final stage of the development program for the GBU-38. Boeing completed initial testing from the F-16 aircraft last fall. Flight-testing is also continuing on the F/A-18. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems received a $45 million contract in September 2000 to develop the GBU-38. Flight-testing on the B-2 will continue through this summer.

A U.S. Air Force Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite that will provide services for military and civilian users was successfully launched by a Delta II rocket on March 31.

GPS IIR-9 was launched from Space Launch Complex 17A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The rocket lifted off at 5:09 p.m. EST and the 68-minute mission ended with the successful delivery of the spacecraft to the targeted orbit.

“Today’s launch was the culmination of a dedicated effort for mission success by our government and industry team,” said Jay Witzling, vice president, Delta Programs. “We recognize the importance of this mission to our customer and the nation.”

GPS provides military and civilian users with three-dimensional position location data in longitude, latitude and elevation as well as precise time and velocity. The U.S. Air Force Space Command operates the GPS system.

The next scheduled Delta launch is the Space Infrared Telescope Facility, or SIRTF, mission for NASA from Cape Canaveral aboard the first launch of the Delta II Heavy configuration.