Paveway IV
| Paveway IV | |
|---|---|
|
A Paveway IV laser-guided bomb fitted to a Harrier GR9. | |
| Type | Precision-guided munition |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2008 |
| Used by |
Royal Air Force Royal Saudi Air Force |
| Wars |
Operation Herrick Operation Ellamy Operation Shader |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Raytheon UK |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 500 lb (230 kg) |
|
| |
Guidance system | Inertial, GPS Aided Inertial and/or Semi-Active Laser |
Launch platform |
British Aerospace Harrier II Panavia Tornado Eurofighter Typhoon[1] Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II[2][3] |
Paveway IV is a dual mode GPS/INS and laser-guided bomb manufactured by Raytheon UK (formerly Raytheon Systems Limited).[1] It is the latest iteration of the Paveway series.
The weapon is a guidance kit based on the existing Enhanced Paveway II Enhanced Computer Control Group (ECCG) added to a modified Mk 82 general-purpose bomb with increased penetration performance. The new ECCG contains a Height of Burst (HOB) sensor enabling air burst fusing options, and a SAASM (Selective Availability Anti Spoofing Module) compliant GPS receiver. It can be launched either IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) only, given sufficiently good Transfer Alignment, or using GPS guidance. Terminal laser guidance is available in either navigation mode.
The Paveway IV entered service with the Royal Navy in 2008.[4] It has yet to be accepted into service with the United States, which has pursued the development of the Laser-JDAM and dual mode Small-Diameter Bomb (SDB).
The Paveway IV's first export sale was to the Royal Saudi Air Force in a deal worth approximately £150 million (US $247 million).[5] The deal had been delayed for several years by the U.S. State Department which had to authorise the bomb's sale due to its use of American components. A contract was signed in December 2013 with Congressional approval given two months later, with deliveries to begin within 18 months.[6]
The Paveway IV was first used operationally by the Royal Navy during Operation Herrick in Afghanistan. It was later used operationally during Operation Ellamy in Libya, and Operation Shader in Iraq and Syria.[1][7] In December 2015, the Royal Air Force began strike operations in Syria as part of Operation Shader, and deployed Paveway IV operationally from its Eurofighter Typhoons for the first time.[8]
In January 2015, Eurofighter Typhoons of the Royal Saudi Air Force dropped Paveway IVs on ISIL targets in Syria. This was the first operational deployment of Paveway IV from Typhoon.[9]
Raytheon UK is conducting preparatory work to equip the Paveway IV with a bunker-busting warhead as part of the Selective Precision Effects At Range (Spear) Capability 1 program. The compact penetrator has the same outer mold line and mass of the regular Paveway IV and uses a discarding shroud design. A penetrating 500 lb Paveway IV would replace the RAF's previous 2,000 lb Paveway III bunker buster.[10] The penetrating version of the Paveway IV will enter service on the Typhoon in early 2019. Raytheon claims the new warhead has the performance of the BLU-109 penetrating bomb, despite being one-quarter of its weight.[11]
On 19 June 2015, a Royal Air Force test pilot released two inert Paveway IV laser-guided bombs from a Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II during trials in the United States.[2] Paveway IV is a future candidate for integration on the aircraft.[3]
Operators
Current operators
References
- 1 2 3 "Paveway IV". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- 1 2 "F-35B Aces First Release of a UK Paveway IV Bomb". Lockheed Martin. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
- 1 2 "Paveway IV". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
- ↑ "Paveway IV Smart Bomb Enters Service with Royal Navy and Royal Air Force". Deagel.com. 10 December 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- 1 2 "Saudi Arabia becomes first Paveway IV export customer". IHS Jane's. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ "Raytheon Secures First Export for Paveway IV". Defense News. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ RAF Tornados strike first Islamic State targets - Flightglobal.com, 30 September 2014
- ↑ "Syria air strikes: RAF Tornado jets carry out bombing". BBC News. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
- ↑ "Saudi Typhoons Use Paveway IV Bombs on ISIS". Defense News. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
- ↑ RAF To Be Equipped With Bunker Busting Version of Paveway IV - Defensenews.com, 18 November 2014
- ↑ UK orders penetrating warhead for Paveway IV bomb - Flightglobal.com, 15 September 2015