GBU-28 Paveway III

The GBU-28 Paveway III is a U.S.-origin 5,000-pound-class laser-guided penetrator bomb developed for hardened underground targets. Air & Space Forces lists Raytheon as the contractor, and later GBU-28B/B and GBU-28C/B variants added GPS/INS guidance and upgraded warheads for longer-range and all-weather employment.

GBU-28 Paveway III, 5,000-pound laser-guided penetrator bomb, Munitions

Image source: F-15E gbu-28 release.jpg

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin: United States
Built by: Raytheon
Type: 5,000-pound laser-guided penetrator bomb
Service note: Introduced in 1991; later GBU-28B/B and GBU-28C/B variants added GPS/INS guidance and improved penetrators
Unit cost: About $55,000 per munition in 1995 GAO reporting

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Specifications

Guidance: Semi-active laser; GBU-28B/B adds GPS/INS guidance
Warhead: 4,400-pound penetrating warhead; GBU-28C/B uses a BLU-122 improved penetrator
Weight: 5,000-pound class
Range: More than 5.75 miles
Length: About 20 feet
Diameter: 15 inches
Integration: B-2A, B-52, and F-15E

Variants

GBU-28B/B
GBU-28C/B

Carrier Aircraft

Carrier

Carrier type

Carriage evidence

F-15 family fighter aircraft, Fighter aircraft family, Aircraft & UAVs

F-15 family fighter aircraft

Multirole fighter aircraft

Boeing's Advanced F-15 weapons inventory lists the GBU-28 in the aircraft's external carriage matrix.

Sources: Advanced F-15 Weapons Inventory

Service And Conflict Use

Service History

In service: First capability in 1991; later variants entered production in 1999 and 2005

Media

GBU-28 Paveway III Images

GBU-28 Paveway III, 5,000-pound laser-guided penetrator bomb, Munitions - view 1 — Source: Paveway IMG 1516.jpg

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Sources

GBU-24/28 Paveway IIIPublisher: Air & Space Forces Magazine | Note: Supports GBU-28 background, Raytheon contractor context, dimensions, range, guidance, warhead, variants, and aircraft integration. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 GAO Precision Guided Munitions in InventoryPublisher: Government Accountability Office | Note: Supports GBU-28 first capability, platform compatibility, 1995 production unit cost, and the 4,400-pound penetrating warhead description. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 F-15E gbu-28 release.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and public-domain licensing for the F-15E GBU-28 release image. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 Paveway IMG 1516.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY-SA licensing for a Paveway family display photo. | Accessed: 2026-06-27 Advanced F-15 Weapons InventoryPublisher: Boeing | Note: Supports the F-15 external carriage matrix that lists GBU-28. | Accessed: 2026-06-27