US Navy Completes Initial JDAM LR Flight Tests Out to 200 Nautical Miles

The US Navy has completed two initial flight tests of the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Long Range (LR) variant, advancing a cost-effective standoff strike capability for the Carrier Air Wing.

The service’s F/A-18 Super Hornet carried and released an inert GBU-75 JDAM LR at Point Mugu Sea Range in California earlier this month, where the upgraded munition traveled approximately 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers/230 miles).

That is five times the maximum of the JDAM extended range variant, which can reach around 40 nautical miles (74 kilometers/46 miles).

“This new capability allows pilots to engage targets from significantly safer distances, maintaining a tactical advantage in contested environments,” said to Capt. Sarah Abbott, Precision Strike Weapons (PMA-201) program manager. 

During the first test on April 1, the JDAM LR demonstrated safe separation, engine start, and flew on its own for about 34 minutes, landing close to its planned target. 

The flight profile was repeated in the second test on April 3, but the weapon also incorporated altitude changes and maneuvering. 

Using secure military GPS signals, the JDAM LR remained connected to satellites during its entire flight, maintaining accuracy and continuing operations despite jamming and spoofing.

The JDAM LR will now undergo the next phase of qualification for shipboard integration. 

The JDAM LR builds on the JDAM family of guidance kits that convert unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions.

The system incorporates Kratos’ TDI-J85 engine and wing kits from Ferra Engineering.

While the JDAM LR reached nearly 200 nautical miles in testing, Boeing said the weapon can operate at ranges “greater than 300 nautical miles.”

It can be integrated into any aircraft that already carries traditional JDAMs, supporting conventional direct attacks, maritime strikes, and aerial-mining missions.