Boeing has received a $75 million undefinitized contract action from the U.S. Air Force to begin initial production of the BSU-111/B payload delivery unit for the JDAM Long Range precision-strike weapon. The programme, also referred to as JDAM LR and GBU-75 JDAM-LR, is designed to carry a 500-pound-class payload to distances of more than 300 nautical miles.
The award authorises production for the U.S. Navy as well, reflecting the joint Air Force-Navy structure of the JDAM family. Boeing is setting up manufacturing space at its St. Charles, Missouri, site while continuing qualification and aircraft integration work ahead of fielding.
The long-range variant extends the reach of legacy and newer aircraft without requiring them to penetrate as deeply into defended airspace. A separate trade report on the same development described the contract as part of the Air Force effort to expand its arsenal and extend the range of key munitions.