Munitions

Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit

Also known as
  • JDAM
  • Joint Direct Attack Munition
  • JDAM guidance kit
  • JDAM tail kit
  • Joint Direct Attack Munition guidance tail kit
  • GBU-31
  • GBU-32
  • GBU-38
  • GBU-31/32/38 JDAM

Joint 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.

Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit, GPS/INS guidance tail kit for free-fall bombs, Munitions
Image source: GBU-31 JDAM SVG

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Built by
Boeing
Type
GPS/INS guidance tail kit for free-fall bombs
Service note
Late 1990s-present
Designer
McDonnell Douglas under the joint U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy JDAM program
Designed
Early-to-mid 1990s development; initial operational testing in 1998-1999
Unit cost
Approximately $22,000 per tail kit in fiscal 2007 dollars, excluding bomb body and fuze
Produced
May 1998-present

Specifications

Primary function
Guidance tail kit that converts compatible unguided free-fall bombs into precision-guided munitions
Guidance
GPS-aided inertial navigation system in the tail section
Standard bomb-body classes
500-pound Mk 82 / BLU-111 / BLU-126, 1,000-pound Mk 83 / BLU-110, and 2,000-pound Mk 84 / BLU-109 / BLU-117 classes
Range
Up to or more than 15 miles from release to target in standard official descriptions
Accuracy
Air Force fact sheet lists 5 m or less CEP with GPS data and 30 m or less CEP when GPS is unavailable
Release envelope
Boeing describes a flexible release envelope with day/night, all-weather employment
Program
Joint U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy program
Prime contractor
Boeing
Variants

JDAM designations identify a guidance-kit configuration fitted to a particular bomb-body class. The catalog separates standard JDAM bomb records from Laser JDAM and extended-range derivatives so conflict-use evidence can stay attached to the exact documented configuration.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
GBU-31 JDAM (Mk 84 / BLU-109), 2,000-pound GPS/INS-guided bomb configuration, MunitionsGBU-31 Mk-84 / BLU-109 JDAM2,000-pound standard JDAM family

The Air Force and Boeing describe the 2,000-pound JDAM class around Mk 84, BLU-109, and BLU-117 bomb bodies.

Sources: Air Force JDAM Fact Sheet, Boeing JDAM Product Card

GBU-31(V)1 Joint Direct Attack Munition, 2,000-pound JDAM bomb, MunitionsGBU-31(V)1 Joint Direct Attack MunitionMk 84 / BLU-117 2,000-pound configuration

The GBU-31(V)1 record covers the standard 2,000-pound general-purpose bomb-body lane in the JDAM family.

Sources: Air Force JDAM Fact Sheet

GBU-31(V)3/B Joint Direct Attack Munition, 2,000-pound GPS/INS-guided hard-target penetrator bomb, MunitionsGBU-31(V)3/B Joint Direct Attack MunitionBLU-109 penetrator configuration

The GBU-31(V)3/B record covers the hard-target BLU-109 penetrator body fitted with a JDAM tail kit.

Sources: Air Force JDAM Fact Sheet

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 standard JDAM family

The Air Force and Boeing identify the 1,000-pound JDAM class around Mk 83 and BLU-110 bomb bodies.

Sources: Air Force JDAM Fact Sheet, Boeing JDAM Product Card

GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition, 500-pound GPS/INS-guided bomb, MunitionsGBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition500-pound standard JDAM family

The Air Force and Boeing identify the 500-pound JDAM class around Mk 82, BLU-111, and BLU-126 bomb bodies.

Sources: Air Force JDAM Fact Sheet, Boeing JDAM Product Card

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

Boeing's JDAM product card treats laser seeker guidance as a JDAM family growth path, while the GBU-54 record carries the 500-pound Laser JDAM configuration.

Sources: Boeing JDAM Product Card

Mk-82 JDAM-ER, Extended-range GPS/INS-guided bomb, MunitionsMk-82 JDAM-ER500-pound extended-range derivative

Boeing's JDAM product material identifies an extended-range wing kit as a JDAM family growth path; the Mk-82 JDAM-ER record covers the directly documented 500-pound derivative.

Sources: Boeing JDAM Product Card

Carrier Aircraft

Standard JDAM kits are integrated across U.S. and allied strike aircraft, but exact bomb-body records carry the strongest configuration-specific carrier and combat-use evidence.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
B-2 Spirit, Low-observable strategic heavy bomber, Aircraft & UAVsB-2 SpiritStealth bomber

Air Force and Navy sources describe B-2 aircraft delivering JDAMs during Operation Allied Force, making the B-2 the clearest combat-debut carrier for the generic JDAM family.

Sources: Air Force JDAM Fact Sheet, Navy JDAM Fact File

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Carrier-capable multirole strike fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF/A-18E/F Super HornetCarrier-based strike fighter

NAVAIR lists JDAM among the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet's armament.

Sources: F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (NAVAIR)

F-35C Lightning II, Carrier-based stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF-35C Lightning IICarrier-based stealth fighter

The F-35C Fast Facts sheet lists two 2,000-pound GBU-31 JDAM guided bombs in the carrier variant's standard internal weapons load.

Sources: F-35 Fast Facts - January 2021

B-52 Stratofortress, Long-range heavy bomber, Aircraft & UAVsB-52 StratofortressHeavy bomber

A 2025 Air Force Safety Center article says a B-52 Stratofortress dropped two JDAM-enabled inert bombs during a Claiborne Range test.

Sources: Claiborne Range expands capabilities for B-52 community

F-2 Support Fighter, Close support fighter jet, Aircraft & UAVsF-2 Support FighterMultirole fighter

Japanese Ministry of Defense fighter-production material lists JDAM carriage as an F-2 capability improvement.

Sources: Fighter Production Technology Interim Report

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

Textron Aviation Defense lists the AT-6 Wolverine as a carrier for GBU-38-class JDAM guided bombs on its supported-loads page.

Sources: Textron AT-6 JDAM loads

Configuration-specific records

Carrier rows for a named bomb such as GBU-31, GBU-32, or GBU-38 belong on that exact munition record when the source identifies the configuration rather than the JDAM family in general.

Sources: Air Force JDAM Fact Sheet, Boeing JDAM Product Card

Guidance-Kit Family

The JDAM record represents the guidance-kit family, not one bomb body. Once the kit is fitted to a specific Mk 80- or BLU-series body, the guided bomb normally appears under a GBU designation.

500-pound lane

Mk 82, BLU-111, and BLU-126 bodies support the GBU-38 standard JDAM lane and related 500-pound derivatives.

Catalog examples include GBU-38, GBU-54 Laser JDAM, and Mk-82 JDAM-ER.

1,000-pound lane

Mk 83 and BLU-110 bodies sit in the GBU-32 and adjacent 1,000-pound JDAM designation lane.

Catalog examples include GBU-32 and GBU-35 BLU-110 JDAM.

2,000-pound lane

Mk 84, BLU-109, and BLU-117 bodies sit in the GBU-31 lane, including general-purpose and penetrator configurations.

Catalog examples include GBU-31 family, GBU-31(V)1, and GBU-31(V)3/B.

Sources: Air Force JDAM Fact Sheet; Boeing JDAM Product Card; National Museum JDAM Fact Sheet.

Timeline

Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit Key Events

  1. Tail-kit design competition begins

    Acquisition-history material describes McDonnell Douglas and Lockheed Martin being selected to design competing JDAM tail-kit approaches for the joint program.

    Sources: JDAM Acquisition Reform Case Study

  2. Boeing delivers first production JDAM

    Boeing announced delivery of the first production Joint Direct Attack Munition to the Department of Defense at its St. Charles, Missouri assembly facility.

    Sources: Boeing Delivers First JDAM

  3. Combat debut in Operation Allied Force

    Air Force and Navy public records describe JDAM's combat debut during Operation Allied Force with B-2 aircraft delivering more than 600 JDAMs.

    Sources: Air Force JDAM Fact Sheet, Navy JDAM Fact File

  4. 500-pound JDAM initial operational capability

    The JDAM Selected Acquisition Report identifies February 2005 as the initial operational capability point for the 500-pound JDAM kit.

    Sources: JDAM December 2018 Selected Acquisition Report

  5. Boeing receives follow-on JDAM contract

    The U.S. Department of Defense announced a Boeing contract covering JDAM tail kits, spares, repairs, technical support, and Laser JDAM sensor kits with work scheduled through February 2030.

    Sources: Defense.gov JDAM Contract May 2024

Media

Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit Images

Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit, GPS/INS guidance tail kit for free-fall bombs, Munitions - view 1
Source: US Navy GBU-31 loading photo
Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit, GPS/INS guidance tail kit for free-fall bombs, Munitions - view 2
Source: GBU-31 MK-84 warhead diagram
Related Weapon Systems
GBU-31 JDAM (Mk 84 / BLU-109), 2,000-pound GPS/INS-guided bomb configuration, MunitionsMunitionsGBU-31 JDAM (Mk 84 / BLU-109)2,000-pound GPS/INS-guided bomb configurationThe GBU-31 JDAM is the 2,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition configuration built around Boeing's GPS/INS tail kit and either a Mk 84-class general-purpose bomb body or a BLU-109 hard-target penetrator body. U.S. military and Federal Register sources distinguish the KMU-556 Mk 84 configuration from the KMU-557 BLU-109 configuration, while direct conflict-use reporting traces GBU-31/JDAM employment from Kosovo and Afghanistan to Iraq, Yemen, Operation Inherent Resolve, the Israel-Hamas war, and the 2025 Israel-Iran conflict.
GBU-31(V)1 Joint Direct Attack Munition, 2,000-pound JDAM bomb, MunitionsMunitionsGBU-31(V)1 Joint Direct Attack Munition2,000-pound JDAM bombThe GBU-31(V)1/B Joint Direct Attack Munition is the Mk 84 general-purpose lane of the 2,000-pound JDAM family, combining Boeing's GPS/INS tail-control kit with a 2,000-pound-class bomb body. Official Air Force, Navy, Boeing, and security-assistance sources separate this KMU-556/Mk 84 configuration from BLU-109 penetrator GBU-31 variants, while direct records document exact or Mk 84-specific GBU-31 use in the 2011 Libya air campaign and 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.
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.
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-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition, Reserved 1,000-pound laser/GPS-guided bomb designation, MunitionsMunitionsGBU-55 Laser Joint Direct Attack MunitionReserved 1,000-pound laser/GPS-guided bomb designationThe 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.

Sources

Air Force JDAM Fact SheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports JDAM identity as a guidance tail kit, joint Air Force/Navy program context, Boeing contractor, guidance method, bomb-body classes, accuracy, range, unit-cost context, service timing, and 1999 Kosovo War / Operation Allied Force direct conflict use by B-2 aircraft delivering JDAMs. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Navy JDAM Fact FilePublisher: U.S. Navy | Note: Supports JDAM guidance-kit identity, Navy aircraft integration context, and 1999 Kosovo War / Operation Allied Force direct conflict use by describing JDAMs dropped during Operation Allied Force. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Boeing JDAM Product CardPublisher: Boeing | Note: Supports Boeing product background, JDAM tail-kit architecture, bomb-body classes, release-envelope context, production since May 1998, family growth paths, and manufacturer context. | Accessed: 2026-07-02National Museum JDAM Fact SheetPublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports JDAM background, Boeing development context, guidance-tail-kit description, INS/GPS tail section, GBU-31 and GBU-32 bomb-body mapping, and range context. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Boeing Delivers First JDAMPublisher: Boeing | Note: Supports first production JDAM delivery to the Department of Defense, St. Charles assembly context, Boeing system-integrator context, range, guidance, and early unit-cost claims. | Accessed: 2026-07-02JDAM December 2018 Selected Acquisition ReportPublisher: Executive Services Directorate, Washington Headquarters Services | Note: Supports acquisition-program context, tail-kit-only cost boundary, production and objective-quantity context, 500-pound kit initial operational capability timing, and GPS/INS performance background. | Accessed: 2026-07-02JDAM Acquisition Reform Case StudyPublisher: U.S. General Services Administration | Note: Supports acquisition-history context for the JDAM tail-kit design competition, McDonnell Douglas participation, and early cost-reduction program framing. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Defense.gov JDAM Contract May 2024Publisher: U.S. Department of Defense | Note: Supports current Boeing contractor context for JDAM tail kits, spares, repairs, technical support, and Laser JDAM sensor kits. | Accessed: 2026-07-02F-35 Fast Facts - January 2021Publisher: Lockheed Martin F-35 | Note: Supports the F-35C carrier-variant standard internal weapons load, including two 2,000-pound GBU-31 JDAM guided bombs. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Fighter Production Technology Interim ReportPublisher: Ministry of Defense, Japan | Note: Supports the F-2 JDAM carriage relationship described in the fighter-production material. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Textron AT-6 JDAM loadsPublisher: Textron Aviation Defense | Note: Supports AT-6 Wolverine carriage of GBU-38-class JDAM guided bombs. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Claiborne Range expands capabilities for B-52 communityPublisher: U.S. Air Force Safety Center | Note: Supports B-52 Stratofortress carriage of JDAM-enabled inert bombs during a Claiborne Range test. | Accessed: 2026-07-02F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (NAVAIR)Publisher: NAVAIR | Note: Supports F/A-18E/F Super Hornet carriage of JDAM guided bombs. | Accessed: 2026-07-02GBU-31 JDAM SVGPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Wikimedia Commons file page for a GBU-31 JDAM diagram, listed there under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported licensing. | Accessed: 2026-07-02US Navy GBU-31 loading photoPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Wikimedia Commons file page for a public-domain U.S. Navy GBU-31 loading photo. | Accessed: 2026-07-02GBU-31 MK-84 warhead diagramPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Wikimedia Commons file page for a public-domain U.S. Air Force GBU-31 Mk 84 warhead diagram. | Accessed: 2026-07-02