Boeing and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions have announced a partnership to develop a groundbreaking kit that will transform a conventional unguided bomb into a highly accurate cruise missile. The Memorandum of Understanding between the two companies aims to create a compact precision weapon powered by a jet turbine engine.
Unlike guided bombs that have advanced guidance systems, unguided bombs solely rely on their ballistic characteristics for accuracy. They are dropped from an aircraft and follow a predictable trajectory until they hit the target on the ground.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, a technology-focused entity specializing in Defense, National Security, and Global Markets, is collaborating with Boeing on this crucial project. Technical Directions, Inc. (TDI), a division within Kratos Unmanned Systems Division, will play a key role by providing the TDI-J85 turbine engine for the Powered Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM).
The Powered JDAM initiative by Boeing integrates a 500-pound ordnance, the conventional JDAM guidance kit, a wing kit, and the Kratos TDI-J85 engine. This combination significantly extends the operational range of the weapon, making it a cost-effective solution. The affordability is further enhanced by TDI’s four decades of expertise in developing and perfecting cost-efficient turbine engine technology.
The Powered JDAM system offers a budget-friendly standoff capability against both land-based and maritime threats. Leveraging the well-established JDAM weapons infrastructure, it can be mass-produced and supplied to any of the 35 partner nations associated with JDAM.
Joseph Kovasity, Senior Vice President for TDI, expressed pride in Boeing’s selection of the TDI-J85 engine for the Powered JDAM system. He emphasized the substantial investment made by Kratos TDI in manufacturing processes, ensuring efficient production of small-scale, economical military-grade turbine engines in the United States.
The acquisition of TDI by Kratos has further strengthened their commitment to scalability, enabling large-scale production demands of the Powered JDAM program.
Bob Ciesla, Vice President of Boeing Precision Engagement Systems, described the Powered JDAM as the next step in the modular evolution of the JDAM and JDAM Extended Range family of weapons systems. Its ability to complement high-cost exquisite weapons with low-cost standoff capability adds new capacity to the U.S. defense industrial base.
The TDI-J85 engine features a straightforward architecture capable of generating 200 lbf (pound-force) of net thrust under Sea-Level Static conditions. Tailored design adjustments are made to meet the specific requirements of the Powered JDAM, ensuring the desired thrust output. The engine is designed to operate with both commercial and military-grade kerosene turbine fuels.
Notably, the TDI-J85 engine’s shaft-integral permanent magnet generator can produce up to 1.5 kW of AC power, providing sufficient onboard power throughout varying engine speeds.
This partnership between Boeing and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions marks a significant milestone in the development of advanced military technology. The transformative kit they are working on will revolutionize the capabilities of conventional unguided bombs, providing accuracy and precision similar to guided missiles. With the cost-effective Powered JDAM system, the U.S. defense industrial base gains new weaponry capacity to support current and future operations.
I have over 10 years of experience in the cryptocurrency industry and I have been on the list of the top authors on LinkedIn for the past 5 years. I have a wealth of knowledge to share with my readers, and my goal is to help them navigate the ever-changing world of cryptocurrencies.
