Munitions

GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II

Also known as
  • GBU-49
  • EGBU-12
  • GBU-49/B
  • GBU-49(V)/B
  • Enhanced Paveway II
  • EP2
  • EPII

The GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II is a Raytheon 500-pound-class dual-mode guided bomb that adds GPS-aided inertial guidance to a Paveway II laser-guided bomb. U.S., French, and NATO-adjacent sources tie the weapon to Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Mali, while official video and contractor releases document MQ-9, F-35A, Mirage 2000D, Rafale, Super Etendard Modernise, and AT-6 carriage or integration contexts.

GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II, 500-pound GPS/laser-guided bomb, Munitions
Image source: 2023-05-12 GBU-49 LGB 002.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Built by
Raytheon
Type
500-pound GPS/laser-guided bomb

Specifications

Guidance
GPS-aided INS with dual-mode laser seeker
Weight class
500 lb / 227 kg class
Bomb body
Mk 82 or BLU-111/B 500 lb general-purpose bomb body
Guidance kit components
MAU-210 enhanced computer control group and MXU-650 airfoil group
Family
Enhanced Paveway II / GBU-49(V)/B
Delivery mode
Maneuverable free-fall guided bomb
Variants

GBU-49(V)/B is the 500-pound Enhanced Paveway II designation family. Designation-Systems lists three GBU-49(V) subvariants, while later U.S. arms-sale notices describe MAU-210 and MXU-650 kit components for the 500-pound Enhanced Paveway II configuration.

  • GBU-49(V)1/B
  • GBU-49(V)2/B
  • GBU-49(V)3/B
Carrier Aircraft

Official and contractor sources document the GBU-49 across manned fighters, remotely piloted aircraft, and light-attack integration contexts.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
MQ-9 Reaper, Medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVsMQ-9 ReaperRemotely piloted aircraft

AFCENT/DVIDS video from Kandahar Airfield shows munitions airmen building a GBU-49 for an MQ-9 in August 2015.

Sources: GBU-49 Build

F-35 Lightning II, Fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF-35 Lightning IIStealth multirole fighter

DVIDS documented two F-35A aircraft carrying a full loadout of six GBU-49 munitions and two AIM-9X missiles in May 2019.

Sources: F-35A Full Loadout Mission

Mirage 2000, Single-engine multirole fighter aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsMirage 2000Multirole fighter

Raytheon's 2008 France contract covered Enhanced Paveway II kits and weapons integration for the French Air Force's Mirage 2000D.

Sources: France Awards Raytheon $22 Million for Enhanced Paveway II

Dassault Rafale, Twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsDassault RafaleMultirole fighter

Raytheon demonstrated WiPAK integration by dropping an Enhanced Paveway II GBU-49 from a French Navy Rafale, and Dassault later listed GBU-49 among Rafale close-air-support weapons.

Sources: Raytheon WiPAK Rafale GBU-49 Demonstration, Dassault Rafale F3-R Standard Notification

AT-6 Wolverine, Light attack and armed reconnaissance turboprop aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAT-6 WolverineLight attack aircraft

Textron Aviation Defense lists the GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II among the AT-6 Wolverine's supported loads.

Sources: AT-6 Wolverine and Beechcraft T-6 Texan II | Textron Aviation Defense

Why the carrier spread matters

The same 500-pound dual-mode bomb appears in combat, test, and sales contexts across legacy strike aircraft, fifth-generation fighters, remotely piloted aircraft, and light-attack platforms.

Sources: France Awards Raytheon $22 Million for Enhanced Paveway II, GBU-49 Build, F-35A Full Loadout Mission

Bomb Body Compatibility

U.S. arms-sale notices describe GBU-49 as an Enhanced Paveway II kit applied to a 500-pound general-purpose bomb body.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
Mk 82 500-pound unguided bomb, Air-delivered 500-pound low-drag general-purpose bomb, MunitionsMk 82 500-pound unguided bomb500-pound general-purpose bomb body

Federal Register arms-sale text describes the GBU-49 as a 500-pound Mk 82 or BLU-111/B bomb body fitted with MXU-650 airfoil and MAU-210 control components.

Sources: Federal Register GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II Description

Operational Evidence

The most useful public sources identify the GBU-49 by operational setting rather than by a single platform fleet.

ContextDocumented evidenceSource
Afghanistan and IraqRaytheon described the GBU-49 as extensively employed by U.S. and allied forces in both theaters.France Awards Raytheon $22 Million for Enhanced Paveway II
LibyaRaytheon tied French Navy Enhanced Paveway II GBU-49 service to Operation Harmattan.Raytheon WiPAK Rafale GBU-49 Demonstration
MaliDassault listed GBU-49 GPS-guided bombs among Rafale close-air-support weapons used in Mali.Dassault Rafale F3-R Standard Notification
MQ-9 and F-35A loadsAFCENT and DVIDS video pages document MQ-9 preparation at Kandahar and F-35A full-loadout carriage at Al Dhafra.GBU-49 Build; F-35A Full Loadout Mission
Timeline

GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II Key Events

  1. French Navy operational use begins

    Raytheon said Enhanced Paveway II first reached initial operational capability on the French Navy's Super Etendard Modernise in 2007.

    Sources: France Awards Raytheon $22 Million for Enhanced Paveway II

  2. French Mirage 2000D integration contract announced

    Raytheon announced a French contract for Enhanced Paveway II kits and weapons integration on the Mirage 2000D, converting 500-pound Paveway II bombs into dual-mode GBU-49 weapons.

    Sources: France Awards Raytheon $22 Million for Enhanced Paveway II

  3. Operation Harmattan use in Libya

    Raytheon later said French Navy Enhanced Paveway II GBU-49 service on the Super Etendard Modernise included extensive EPII use during Operation Harmattan in Libya.

    Sources: Raytheon WiPAK Rafale GBU-49 Demonstration

  4. Rafale F3-R standard notification

    Dassault's Rafale F3-R notification listed GBU-49 GPS-guided bombs among close-air-support weapons used in Afghanistan, Libya, and Mali.

    Sources: Dassault Rafale F3-R Standard Notification

  5. Kandahar MQ-9 load preparation

    AFCENT/DVIDS video showed 455th Air Expeditionary Wing munitions airmen at Kandahar Airfield building a GBU-49 for an MQ-9.

    Sources: GBU-49 Build

  6. F-35A full-loadout mission

    DVIDS documented two F-35A aircraft flying with six GBU-49 munitions and two AIM-9X missiles from Al Dhafra.

    Sources: F-35A Full Loadout Mission

Media

GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II Images

GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II, 500-pound GPS/laser-guided bomb, Munitions - view 1
Source: Netherlands F-35A weapons loading - AIM-120 and GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II - Wikimedia Commons
Related Weapon Systems
Paveway laser-guided bomb, Laser-guided bomb guidance-kit family, MunitionsMunitionsPaveway laser-guided bombLaser-guided bomb guidance-kit familyPaveway is a U.S.-origin family of laser-guided bomb kits that turns conventional gravity bombs into precision air-to-surface weapons by adding a seeker, computer-control group, and airfoil surfaces. Raytheon traces production to 1968, while later Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon UK lines cover Paveway II, Paveway III, dual-mode Enhanced Paveway, Paveway IV, and Paveway II Plus kits documented in combat-use and transfer records from the Falklands and Gulf War through Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Ukraine, and Yemen.
Paveway IV guided bomb, Dual-mode precision-guided bomb, MunitionsMunitionsPaveway IV guided bombDual-mode precision-guided bombPaveway IV is a Raytheon UK 500-pound-class precision-guided bomb built around GPS-aided inertial navigation, laser guidance, and an electronic fuze. It became a core RAF air-to-ground weapon after entering UK service in 2008, moved from Harrier and Tornado carriage to Typhoon and F-35B integration, and is documented in RAF counter-ISIS strikes, UK-led Red Sea Crisis strikes on Houthi military sites, and Saudi-led coalition air operations in Yemen.

Sources

Designation-Systems Paveway IIPublisher: Designation-Systems.net | Note: Supports the GBU-49(V)/B designation series, its 500-pound-class GBU-12/B basis, the Enhanced Paveway II GPS/INS guidance-kit context, and listed GBU-49 variants. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Paveway BombPublisher: RTX | Note: Supports Paveway family background and the GPS-guided version's GPS/INS capability and all-weather precision-attack context. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Federal Register GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II DescriptionPublisher: Federal Register | Note: Supports GBU-49 technical description: 500-pound Mk 82 or BLU-111/B bomb body, MXU-650 airfoil group, MAU-210 computer control group, GPS-aided INS, and dual-mode laser guidance. | Accessed: 2026-06-29France Awards Raytheon $22 Million for Enhanced Paveway IIPublisher: Raytheon Company | Note: Supports manufacturer/service background, French Mirage 2000D integration, French Navy Super Etendard Modernise operational context, and direct conflict-use claims for 2001 War in Afghanistan and 2003 Iraq War by stating GBU-49 was extensively employed by U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Raytheon WiPAK Rafale GBU-49 DemonstrationPublisher: Raytheon Company | Note: Supports Rafale GBU-49 test carriage, French Navy Super Etendard Modernise service, and direct 2011 First Libyan Civil War conflict use by stating Enhanced Paveway II was used during Operation Harmattan in Libya. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Dassault Rafale F3-R Standard NotificationPublisher: Al Defaiya | Note: Accessible repost of Dassault Aviation Rafale F3-R release; supports Rafale close-air-support load context and direct 2012 Mali War conflict use by listing GBU-49 GPS-guided bombs among Rafale close-air-support weapons used in Afghanistan, Libya, and Mali. | Accessed: 2026-06-29GBU-49 BuildPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports 2001 War in Afghanistan direct fielding context by documenting 455th Air Expeditionary Wing airmen at Kandahar Airfield building a GBU-49 for an MQ-9 on August 14, 2015. | Accessed: 2026-06-29F-35A Full Loadout MissionPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports F-35A carrier relationship and public-domain official video context for two F-35A aircraft carrying six GBU-49 munitions and two AIM-9X missiles at Al Dhafra. | Accessed: 2026-06-29AT-6 Wolverine and Beechcraft T-6 Texan II | Textron Aviation DefensePublisher: Textron Aviation Defense | Note: Supports the AT-6 Wolverine supported-load list that includes the GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II. | Accessed: 2026-06-292023-05-12 GBU-49 LGB 002.jpg - Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing for the GBU-49 display photo. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Netherlands F-35A weapons loading - AIM-120 and GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II - Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing for the GBU-49 loading image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29