Munitions

GBU-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition

Also known as
  • GBU-55
  • GBU-55 LJDAM
  • GBU-55 Laser JDAM
  • GBU-55/B
  • GBU-55(V)/B

The GBU-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition is the reserved 1,000-pound Laser JDAM designation associated with the GBU-32 JDAM and Mk 83 or BLU-110 bomb-body class. Public sources describe the Laser JDAM concept as a Boeing GPS/INS JDAM fitted with a laser terminal seeker for moving or relocatable targets, while designation references treat GBU-55 as the 1,000-pound member between the 500-pound GBU-54 and 2,000-pound GBU-56 Laser JDAMs.

GBU-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition, Reserved 1,000-pound laser/GPS-guided bomb designation, Munitions
Image source: JDAM family rendering
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Built by
Boeing
Type
Reserved 1,000-pound laser/GPS-guided bomb designation
Service note
2000s-present Laser JDAM family
Designer
Boeing

Specifications

Designation status
Reserved GBU-55(V)/B designation for the 1,000-pound Laser JDAM class
Bomb body class
Mk 83 or BLU-110 1,000-pound class bomb body through the GBU-32(V)/B JDAM family
Guidance
GPS/INS JDAM guidance with semi-active laser terminal guidance in the Laser JDAM family
Laser seeker
Laser JDAM family material describes a modular front-end laser sensor or Precision Laser Guidance Set added to JDAM
Target set
Moving, relocatable, and maritime targets for the Laser JDAM family
Range
About 15 nautical miles / 24 km for the Laser JDAM family
Published weight context
GBU-32(V)2/B reference data list about 468 kg / 1,031 lb for the underlying 1,000-pound JDAM class; GBU-55-specific production weights are not separately public in the cited sources
Variants

GBU-55 sits in the Laser JDAM designation sequence as the 1,000-pound entry: GBU-54 covers the 500-pound GBU-38 class, GBU-55 maps to the 1,000-pound GBU-32 class, and GBU-56 maps to the 2,000-pound GBU-31 class.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
GBU-32 1,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition, 1,000-pound GPS/INS-guided bomb kit, MunitionsGBU-32 1,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition1,000-pound GPS/INS JDAM baseline

The GBU-55 designation is tied to the GBU-32(V)/B weight class, adding Laser JDAM terminal guidance to the 1,000-pound JDAM family.

Sources: Designation Systems JDAM page, Wikipedia JDAM article

GBU-54 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition, 500-pound dual-mode guided bomb, MunitionsGBU-54 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition500-pound Laser JDAM family member

Designation Systems describes GBU-54(V)/B as the Laser JDAM derivative of the 500-pound GBU-38(V)/B series fitted with a DSU-38/B laser seeker.

Sources: Designation Systems JDAM page, Boeing Laser JDAM product card

GBU-56 Mk-84 Laser JDAM, 2,000-pound laser-guided bomb, MunitionsGBU-56 Mk-84 Laser JDAM2,000-pound Laser JDAM family member

The GBU-56 designation is reserved for the 2,000-pound Laser JDAM variant of the GBU-31(V)/B class, parallel to the 1,000-pound GBU-55.

Sources: Designation Systems JDAM page, Boeing Laser JDAM product card

Related JDAM And Laser JDAM Weapons

The clearest public context for GBU-55 is its position between standard 1,000-pound JDAM and adjacent Laser JDAM designations.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
GBU-32 1,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition, 1,000-pound GPS/INS-guided bomb kit, MunitionsGBU-32 1,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition1,000-pound JDAM baseline

Designation Systems maps GBU-55(V)/B to the 1,000-pound GBU-32(V)/B JDAM class, making GBU-32 the baseline designation family for this Laser JDAM entry.

Sources: Designation Systems JDAM page, Wikipedia JDAM article

GBU-54 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition, 500-pound dual-mode guided bomb, MunitionsGBU-54 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition500-pound Laser JDAM

The GBU-54 is the documented 500-pound Laser JDAM member, useful as the lower weight-class counterpart to the reserved 1,000-pound GBU-55 designation.

Sources: Designation Systems JDAM page, Boeing Laser JDAM product card

GBU-56 Mk-84 Laser JDAM, 2,000-pound laser-guided bomb, MunitionsGBU-56 Mk-84 Laser JDAM2,000-pound Laser JDAM

The GBU-56 is the 2,000-pound Laser JDAM designation parallel to GBU-55, using the same Laser JDAM family guidance concept on a heavier bomb class.

Sources: Designation Systems JDAM page, Boeing Laser JDAM product card

1,000-pound drop bomb, Free-fall bomb, Munitions1,000-pound drop bombBomb body class

The 1,000-pound drop-bomb entry covers the Mk 83 and BLU-110 bomb-body class associated with the GBU-32 and reserved GBU-55 weight band.

Sources: Designation Systems JDAM page, Air Force JDAM Fact Sheet

Relationship-only sourcing limit

Public sources support GBU-55 as a designation and family relationship, but not a separate directly documented combat-use record.

Sources: Designation Systems JDAM page, NAVAIR Laser JDAM full-rate production

Designation Context

GBU-55 is most useful as a designation bridge: it names where a 1,000-pound Laser JDAM would sit inside the JDAM family, while public production and combat references usually discuss Laser JDAM at the family level or identify the 500-pound GBU-54.

Designation elementSupported meaningReader caution
GBU-32(V)/B1,000-pound GPS/INS JDAM class using Mk 83 or BLU-110 bomb bodies.This is the standard JDAM family that GBU-55 is tied to in designation references.
GBU-55(V)/BReserved Laser JDAM designation for the 1,000-pound GBU-32 class.Current public references do not show a separate customer or conflict-use trail for this version.
Laser JDAM seekerLaser terminal seeker added to the JDAM guidance concept for laser-designated moving or relocatable targets.Family-level Laser JDAM evidence should not be treated as GBU-55-specific combat use unless the source names the GBU-55 designation.

Sources: Designation Systems JDAM page; Boeing Laser JDAM product card; NAVAIR Laser JDAM full-rate production.

Timeline

GBU-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition Key Events

  1. Laser JDAM moving-target test

    Boeing reported a Laser JDAM moving-target test from an F-16 at Eglin Air Force Base, demonstrating the laser seeker concept that later defined the LJDAM family.

    Sources: Boeing Laser JDAM moving-target test

  2. Laser seeker production contract

    Boeing received a U.S. Air Force quick-reaction contract for 600 Laser JDAM seekers for Air Force and Navy inventories.

    Sources: Boeing Laser JDAM seeker contract

  3. First Navy production kits delivered

    Boeing delivered the first production Laser JDAM guidance kits to the U.S. Navy after F/A-18C/D and AV-8B testing.

    Sources: Boeing first Laser JDAM Navy delivery

  4. Navy full-rate production contract

    NAVAIR reported a full-rate production contract for Laser JDAM sets and described the weapon as part of Navy and Air Force standard conventional armament.

    Sources: NAVAIR Laser JDAM full-rate production

  5. GBU-55 remains a reserved designation

    Designation Systems' 2026 JDAM update continued to list GBU-55(V)/B as reserved for the 1,000-pound Laser JDAM class, without identified customers for that version.

    Sources: Designation Systems JDAM page

Media

GBU-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition Images

GBU-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition, Reserved 1,000-pound laser/GPS-guided bomb designation, Munitions - view 1
Source: Laser seeker of GBU-54 LJDAM right side view at JASDF Hamamatsu Air Base
GBU-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition, Reserved 1,000-pound laser/GPS-guided bomb designation, Munitions - view 2
Source: Tail of GBU-54 Laser JDAM bomb mounted on a JASDF F-2B
Related Weapon Systems
GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition, 500-pound GPS/INS-guided bomb, MunitionsMunitionsGBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition500-pound GPS/INS-guided bombGBU-38 Mk-82 JDAM is Boeing's 500-pound GPS/INS-guided Joint Direct Attack Munition, turning the Mk 82 bomb body into an all-weather precision air-to-surface weapon. U.S. Air Force sources list the GBU-38 at 92.6 inches long, 558 pounds at launch, a 14-inch wingspan, up to 15 miles range, and 5-meter-or-less CEP when GPS data is available, while combat reporting documents F-15E, F-16, B-1B, and MQ-9 employment in Afghanistan, Iraq, and 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve.
Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit, GPS/INS guidance tail kit for free-fall bombs, MunitionsMunitionsJoint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kitGPS/INS guidance tail kit for free-fall bombsJoint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is Boeing's U.S.-origin GPS/INS tail-kit family for converting compatible Mk 80- and BLU-series free-fall bomb bodies into all-weather guided bombs. The family spans 500-, 1,000-, and 2,000-pound bomb-body classes, with standard GBU-31, GBU-32, and GBU-38 records separated from later Laser JDAM and JDAM-ER derivatives. Official Air Force and Navy records document JDAM's 1999 combat debut with NATO B-2 operations during Operation Allied Force.
GBU-31(V)3/B Joint Direct Attack Munition, 2,000-pound GPS/INS-guided hard-target penetrator bomb, MunitionsMunitionsGBU-31(V)3/B Joint Direct Attack Munition2,000-pound GPS/INS-guided hard-target penetrator bombThe GBU-31(V)3/B is the hard-target penetrator variant of the 2,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition, pairing a Boeing JDAM GPS/INS tail kit with the BLU-109 penetrator bomb body. Official U.S. sources describe its GPS/INS guidance, 2,115-pound launch-weight configuration, and 15-mile range class, while open-source munition and aviation reporting connect the BLU-109 GBU-31 JDAM lane to Israeli operations during the 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict.
GBU-32 1,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition, 1,000-pound GPS/INS-guided bomb kit, MunitionsMunitionsGBU-32 1,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition1,000-pound GPS/INS-guided bomb kitThe GBU-32 1,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition is Boeing's GPS/INS JDAM guidance kit applied to the Mk 83 or BLU-110 1,000-pound bomb-body class. JDAM is a conversion kit rather than a stand-alone bomb, and the GBU-32 sits in the middle of the JDAM family between 500-pound and 2,000-pound variants. Direct conflict-use sources connect the GBU-32 to U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and NATO-led coalition operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve, while OHCHR reported suspected Israeli use of GBU-32 bombs in Gaza strikes during the 2023 Israel-Hamas War.

Sources

Wikipedia JDAM articlePublisher: Wikipedia | Note: Starting reference layer for JDAM and Laser JDAM designations, including the GBU-55 LJDAM listing and source leads for Laser JDAM history. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Designation Systems JDAM pagePublisher: Designation Systems | Note: Supports the GBU-55(V)/B reserved designation, its relationship to the 1,000-pound GBU-32(V)/B JDAM class, adjacent GBU-54 and GBU-56 Laser JDAM designations, and 1,000-pound Mk 83 / BLU-110 bomb-body context. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Boeing Laser JDAM product cardPublisher: Boeing | Note: Supports Laser JDAM family background, GPS/INS guidance with a DSU-38 laser sensor, moving and relocatable target context, range, and manufacturer background. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Air Force JDAM Fact SheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports JDAM manufacturer background, GPS/INS JDAM guidance, standard JDAM range, and the 1,000-pound BLU-110 / Mk 83 payload context used by the GBU-32 family. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Navy JDAM fact filePublisher: U.S. Navy | Note: Supports Navy JDAM and Laser JDAM background, including 1,000-pound payload context and Laser JDAM IOC framing. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Boeing Laser JDAM moving-target testPublisher: Boeing | Note: Supports Laser JDAM development history, the 2006 moving-target test, and family-level laser-seeker purpose. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Boeing Laser JDAM seeker contractPublisher: Boeing | Note: Supports the 2007 Laser JDAM seeker contract, modular laser sensor description, and Air Force/Navy seeker quantities. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Boeing first Laser JDAM Navy deliveryPublisher: Boeing | Note: Supports first U.S. Navy production Laser JDAM kit delivery, F/A-18C/D and AV-8B test context, Precision Laser Guidance Set terminology, and manufacturer background. | Accessed: 2026-06-29NAVAIR Laser JDAM full-rate productionPublisher: Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports Laser JDAM full-rate production, dual-mode GPS/INS and laser-guided weapon description, Navy and Air Force standard conventional armament context, and family-level combat/service background. | Accessed: 2026-06-29JDAM family renderingPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a U.S. Air Force rendering of JDAM kits fitted to Mk 84, BLU-109, Mk 83, and Mk 82 bomb bodies. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Laser seeker of GBU-54 LJDAM right side view at JASDF Hamamatsu Air BasePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a representative Laser JDAM seeker image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Tail of GBU-54 Laser JDAM bomb mounted on a JASDF F-2BPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a representative Laser JDAM tail-section view. | Accessed: 2026-06-29