Joint Direct Attack Munition / JDAM-guided bomb

The Joint Direct Attack Munition is a Boeing-built tail-kit family that converts Mark 80-series and related free-fall bombs into GPS/INS-guided weapons. In the United States-Iran Conflict, U.S. forces used JDAM-guided bombs for stand-in precision strikes after air-defense degradation made overhead bombing missions more practical than relying only on standoff munitions.

United States-Iran ConflictUnited States

Conflict side: United States
Built by: Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Built in: United States

Joint Direct Attack Munition / JDAM-guided bomb, GPS/INS-guided bomb conversion kit, Munitions

Profile

Type: GPS/INS-guided bomb conversion kit
Conflict side: United States
Origin: United States
Service note: In U.S. service since the late 1990s; documented in Operation Epic Fury in 2026

precision fires strikegps-guidedair-launched

Service History

In service: Operational since 1999
Used by: United States Air Force, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps
Wars: United States-Iran Conflict

Production History

Designer: U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and Boeing predecessor McDonnell Douglas
Designed: Development began in the early 1990s
Built by: Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Built in: United States
Unit cost: Varies by kit and procurement year; generally treated as a low-cost precision-guidance kit
Produced: 1990s-present
Number built: Hundreds of thousands of guidance kits produced
Variants: GBU-31 2,000-pound JDAM, GBU-32 1,000-pound JDAM, GBU-38 500-pound JDAM, GBU-54 Laser JDAM, JDAM-ER extended-range wing-kit variants

Specifications

Guidance: GPS-aided inertial navigation with autonomous flight to target coordinates
Warhead classes: 500-pound, 1,000-pound, and 2,000-pound bomb bodies including Mk 82, Mk 83, Mk 84, BLU-109, BLU-110, BLU-111, BLU-117, and BLU-126
Accuracy: U.S. Air Force fact sheet states 5 meters CEP or less in the most accurate GPS-aided mode
Range: Boeing product card states release from more than 15 miles from a target
Launch platforms: Integrated across U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps combat aircraft including fighters and bombers

Conflict Usage

United States-Iran Conflict: Side: United StatesRole: Stand-in precision bombing against Iranian military targetsprecision fires strike
U.S. forces used JDAM-guided bombs during Operation Epic Fury as the campaign shifted from standoff weapons to overhead precision strikes against Iranian missile, drone, naval, and military infrastructure targets.

Joint Direct Attack Munition / JDAM-guided bomb Images

Joint Direct Attack Munition / JDAM-guided bomb, GPS/INS-guided bomb conversion kit, Munitions - view 1

Joint Direct Attack Munition / JDAM-guided bomb, GPS/INS-guided bomb conversion kit, Munitions - view 2

Joint Direct Attack Munition / JDAM-guided bomb, GPS/INS-guided bomb conversion kit, Munitions - view 3

Joint Direct Attack Munition / JDAM-guided bomb, GPS/INS-guided bomb conversion kit, Munitions - view 4

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Sources

Joint Direct Attack Munition GBU-31/32/38Publisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports JDAM background, GPS/INS guidance, payload classes, aircraft employment, and accuracy specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 Joint Direct Attack Munition Product CardPublisher: Boeing | Note: Supports manufacturer background, bomb-body compatibility, release-envelope, and JDAM family development details. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 U.S. Military Operations Against Iran: Munitions and Missile DefensePublisher: Congressional Research Service | Note: Supports United States-Iran Conflict direct use: JDAM was used by U.S. forces in Operation Epic Fury among identified precision-guided munitions. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 B-52s Carrying JDAMs over Iran as Bombers Play Growing Role in Air WarPublisher: Air & Space Forces Magazine | Note: Supports United States-Iran Conflict direct use: JDAM-guided gravity bombs were used by U.S. B-52s and dropped on targets in Iran during Operation Epic Fury. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 Bombs headed for Iran in Operation Epic Fury don names of US sailorsPublisher: Military Times | Note: Supports United States-Iran Conflict direct use context: GBU-31-class JDAMs were fielded by U.S. Navy strike aircraft preparations during Operation Epic Fury. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 Lincoln Flight Ops Support Operation Epic FuryPublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: Image provenance for public-domain U.S. Navy ordnance staging photo during Operation Epic Fury. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 GBU-31 xxlPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and public-domain licensing for a GBU-31/32 JDAM reference image. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 U.S. Forces Launch Operation Epic FuryPublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: Image provenance for public-domain U.S. Navy ordnance transfer photo during Operation Epic Fury. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 GBU-31 JDAMs Staged in Hangar BayPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and public-domain U.S. Navy licensing for GBU-31 JDAMs staged aboard an aircraft carrier. | Accessed: 2026-06-20