GBU-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition

Also known as

GBU-55
GBU-55 LJDAM
GBU-55 Laser JDAM
GBU-55/B

The GBU-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition is the 1,000-pound Laser JDAM member associated with the Mk 83 warhead class. It adds semi-active laser terminal guidance to the GPS/INS JDAM family, giving the 1,000-pound class a dual-mode counterpart to the coordinate-guided GBU-32.

GBU-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition, 1,000-pound laser/GPS-guided bomb, Munitions

Image source: JDAM family rendering

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin: United States
Built by: Boeing
Type: 1,000-pound laser/GPS-guided bomb
Service note: 2010s-present Laser JDAM family
Designer: Boeing

precision fires strike gps-guided laser-guided guided bomb

Specifications

Warhead: Mk 83 1,000-pound class bomb body
Guidance: GPS/INS with semi-active laser terminal guidance
Launch weight: About 475 kg / 1,047 lb, listed as estimated in the JDAM article's specifications table
Range: About 15 nautical miles / 24 km in the JDAM article's specifications table
Related designation: Laser-guided counterpart to the GBU-32 1,000-pound JDAM class

Related 1,000-Pound JDAMs

The GBU-55 keeps the 1,000-pound Mk 83 warhead class but adds laser terminal guidance to the JDAM guidance family.

Compatible item

Item type

Compatibility evidence

GBU-32 1,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition, 1,000-pound GPS/INS-guided bomb kit, Munitions

GBU-32 1,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition

Coordinate-guided counterpart

The JDAM specifications table places GBU-32 and GBU-55 in the same 1,000-pound Mk 83 warhead class, with GBU-55 adding semi-active laser guidance.

Sources: Wikipedia JDAM article

1,000-pound drop bomb, Free-fall bomb, Munitions

1,000-pound drop bomb

Bomb body class

The 1,000-pound drop-bomb entry covers the Mk 83 / BLU-110 class behind this weight band of JDAM and Laser JDAM weapons.

Sources: Wikipedia JDAM article

Service And Conflict Use

Service History

In service: Part of the Laser JDAM family; the 1,000-pound class appears in reference specifications as GBU-55 LJDAM.

Media

GBU-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition Images

GBU-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition, 1,000-pound laser/GPS-guided bomb, Munitions - view 1 — Source: Laser seeker of GBU-54 LJDAM right side view at JASDF Hamamatsu Air Base

Related Weapon Systems

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MunitionsGBU-54 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition500-pound dual-mode guided bombThe GBU-54 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition is Boeing's 500-pound JDAM variant with a DSU-38 laser seeker, combining GPS/INS navigation with terminal laser guidance for moving or relocatable targets. U.S. Navy and Air Force reporting say it reached IOC in FY2012, costs about $24,164, and has appeared in Israeli F-16 loadouts during the Israel-Hamas War.

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

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Sources

Wikipedia JDAM articlePublisher: Wikipedia | Note: Supports the GBU-55 LJDAM listing in the JDAM specifications table, including 1,000-pound Mk 83 warhead class, guidance type, range, and estimated launch weight. | Accessed: 2026-06-28 Boeing 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: 2026-06-28 JDAM 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: 2026-06-28 Laser 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: 2026-06-28