The State Department notified Congress of a possible $373.6 million Foreign Military Sale for 1,200 tail kits to upgrade 500-pound bombs and 332 for 2,000-pound bombs, plus support equipment from Boeing.
These JDAM-ER kits enable precision strikes up to 45 miles away using GPS guidance, helping Ukrainian jets like MiG-29s hit Russian targets from safer distances.
The deal marks a shift to paid purchases under the Foreign Military Sales program, supporting U.S. goals of bolstering Ukraine’s defenses without tipping the regional balance. Congress has 30 days to review, after which negotiations and production will determine delivery.
A Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kit is a low-cost guidance package that converts existing unguided “dumb” bombs into all-weather precision-guided “smart” munitions.
Developed by Boeing, these kits are primarily used to upgrade the Mark 80 series of bombs (500 lb, 1,000 lb, and 2,000 lb variants) into Guided Bomb Units (GBU).
system is a “bolt-on” package that consists of three main parts. Contains a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and an Inertial Navigation System (INS).
Located on the tail, these move to steer the bomb toward its target coordinates.Body Strakes: Attached to the bomb’s midsection to provide additional stability and lift during flight
© 2026, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
