Kratos is preparing to manufacture large quantities of its Spartan TDI-J85 engines to support Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range production program for the US military.
Kratos is preparing to manufacture large quantities of its Spartan TDI-J85 engines to support Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range (JDAM LR) production program for the US military.
The company has begun procuring long-lead components and executing a three-phase manufacturing infrastructure plan to expand production capacity of its Spartan engines, which are produced at Kratos’ 22,500-square-foot (2,090-square-meter) Propulsion Manufacturing Facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
The announcement comes after the US Air Force awarded Boeing a $75-million undefinitized contract action in early August to acquire the JDAM LR’s BSU-111/B Payload Delivery Units intended for the US Navy.
“Kratos’ internally funded and proactive supply-chain investments ensure we are not just preparing for future demand, and we are actively manufacturing the high-volume propulsion systems our customers require today,” said Steve Fendley, President of Kratos Unmanned Systems.
JDAM LR
The JDAM LR weapon, equipped with Ferra Engineering’s wing kits, can travel at distances beyond 300 nautical miles (556 kilometers/345 miles) while carrying a 500-pound-class (226-kilogram) payload.
It can be launched by any aircraft that can carry the baseline JDAM weapon, including the US Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the US Air Force’s B-52 Stratofortress.
Before the JDAM LR entered initial production in August, it completed two initial flight tests in April, where the munitions traveled approximately 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers/230 miles).
