Paveway

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A Paveway III seeker head, at the RAF Museum in Hendon, London. Paveway III laser guided bomb seeker head.jpg
A Paveway III seeker head, at the RAF Museum in Hendon, London.
Paveway III at ILA airshow 2006 Paveway ILA06.JPG
Paveway III at ILA airshow 2006
Top to bottom: A Paveway II computer control group, an Enhanced GBU-12, and a Laser-Guided Training Round, at the Paris Air Show 2007 Paveway II p1230135.jpg
Top to bottom: A Paveway II computer control group, an Enhanced GBU-12, and a Laser-Guided Training Round, at the Paris Air Show 2007

Paveway is a series of laser-guided bombs (LGBs).

Pave or PAVE is sometimes used as an acronym for precision avionics vectoring equipment; literally, electronics for controlling the speed and direction of aircraft. Laser guidance is a form of Pave.

Contents

Pave, paired with other words, is the first name for various laser systems that designate targets for LGBs, for example Pave Penny, Pave Spike, Pave Tack and Pave Knife, and for specialized military aircraft, such as AC-130U Pave Spectre, MH-53 Pave Low, and HH-60 Pave Hawk.

Development

The Paveway series of laser-guided bombs was developed by Texas Instruments, with the project starting in 1964. The program was conducted on a shoestring budget, but the resultant emphasis on simplicity and economical engineering proved to be a benefit, and a major advantage over other more complex guided weapons. The first test, using a M117 bomb as the warhead, took place in April 1965.

Early version featured aerodynamic designs led by Richard Johnson. [1]

In January 1967 the US Air Force authorized Project 3169 as the formal engineering program for development of precision guided munitions, renewing its contract with TI in March to redesign the M117 kit, with a very aggressive timeline, projecting deployment for combat testing in the Vietnam War in one year. Direction of the program was assigned to the Guided Bomb Program Office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in August and flight testing begun in November at Eglin Air Force Base under the direction of an interagency organization called the Pave Way Task Force. At that time the program had three divisions:

Paveway 1 became the emphasis of the program because Paveway 2, although considerably more accurate and capable, cost 4-5 times more per unit and was much less applicable to most targeting situations in Vietnam. Prototype weapons were sent to Southeast Asia for combat testing with the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing from May to August 1968. In the combat evaluations the BOLT-117 achieved a circular error probability (CEP) of 75 feet (23 m) while the Paveway achieved a CEP of 20 feet (6.1 m) with one in every four bombs scoring a direct hit. [2] [3]

Paveway kits attach to a variety of warheads, and consist of a semi-active laser (SAL) seeker, a computer control group (CCG) containing guidance and control electronics, thermal battery, and pneumatic control augmentation system (CAS). There are front control canards and rear wings for stability. The weapon guides on reflected laser energy: the seeker detects the reflected light ("sparkle") of the designating laser, and actuates the canards to guide the bomb toward the designated point.

The original Paveway series, retroactively named Paveway I, gave way in the early 1970s to the improved Paveway II, which had a simplified, more reliable seeker and pop-out rear wings to improve the weapon's glide performance. Both Paveway I and Paveway II use a simple 'bang-bang' control system, where the CAS commands large canard deflections to make course corrections, resulting in a noticeable wobble. This had relatively little effect on accuracy, but expends energy quickly, limiting effective range. As a consequence, most users release Paveway I and II weapons in a ballistic trajectory, activating the laser designator only late in the weapon's flight to refine the impact point.

In 1976, the USAF issued a requirement for a new generation, dubbed Paveway III, that finally entered service in 1986. The Paveway III system used a much more sophisticated seeker with a wider field of view and proportional guidance, minimizing the energy loss of course corrections. Paveway III has a considerably longer glide range and greater accuracy than Paveway II, but it is substantially more expensive, limiting its use to high-value targets. Although Paveway III kits were developed for the smaller Mk 82 weapons, limited effectiveness caused the USAF to adopt the kit only for the larger 907 kg (2,000 lb) class weapons (the Mk 84 and BLU-109). Paveway III guidance kits were also used on the GBU-28/B penetration bomb fielded at the close of the 1991 Gulf War. The Paveway III system was also used during the Indian offensive in the Kargil War of 1999 by the Indian Air Force with the Mirage 2000 as a launch platform. Raytheon, the sole provider of Paveway III variants, is currently delivering both standard and enhanced versions to the US Government and foreign customers.

Existing LGBs in US service can be upgraded to Dual Mode Laser Guided Bombs (DMLGB) by adding GPS receivers which enable all weather employment. Lockheed Martin won the initial contract to provide DMLGBs to the US Navy (USN) in 2005, however subsequent-year money has been "zeroed" in favor of a follow-on Direct Attack Moving Target Capability (DAMTC) program. Raytheon's version, the "Enhanced Paveway II", has been contracted both within the US and abroad.

Raytheon's advanced Paveway IV 225 kg (500 lb) bomb has been in service since 2008 with Britain's RAF. In US service it is designated the GBU-49. In 2017 the F-35 program office rushed to field the GBU-49 to use its ability to strike moving targets and fill the gap left by the early retirement of the CBU-103 cluster bomb. [4]

In March 2017, Lockheed rebranded its Paveway Dual-Mode Plus weapon as the "Paragon" with the aim of competing against the laser-guided variant of the JDAM, as it offers the same capability while being "at least 30 percent cheaper" due to new, less costly microprocessors and engineering for the guidance electronics. [5]

Variants

The Paveway series of bombs includes:

Although GBU-48 etc. are the formal designation for the versions with GPS/INS, they are widely referred to as EGBU-16 etc. ("Enhanced GBU-16"). [6]

Numbering systems

Due to the aforementioned numbering systems, there is considerable scope for confusion regarding weapons called 'Paveway X'. The numbering systems include:

Assembly

Trademark

Lockheed Martin and Raytheon compete to supply LGBs to the United States Air Force, and others. Raytheon claimed the exclusive right to use Paveway™ as a trademark for selling LGB-related products. Lockheed Martin claimed Paveway is a generic term in the defense industry. Lockheed objected to Raytheon's registration of Paveway in opposition proceedings before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. [10] On September 27, 2011, the USPTO Trademark Trial and Appeal Board decided that Paveway is a generic term, in the United States, for LGBs. [11]

Raytheon subsequently sued Lockheed Martin in Arizona federal court alleging trademark infringement, Lockheed filed counterclaims in the suit. In September, 2014 the companies agreed that Raytheon is the exclusive owner of "Paveway™" for laser-guided bombs and related goods and services and that "Paveway" is a protectable trademark, but that Raytheon will license the mark to Lockheed for use in connection with single-mode laser-guided bomb kits. [12] The two companies compete each year for U.S. and foreign orders. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

The GBU-10 Paveway II is an American Paveway-series laser-guided bomb, based on the Mk 84 general-purpose bomb, but with laser seeking capabilities and wings for guidance. Introduced into service c. 1976, it is used today by USAF, US Navy, US Marine Corps, Royal Australian Air Force and various NATO air forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GBU-12 Paveway II</span> Laser guided bomb

The GBU-12 Paveway II is an American aerial laser-guided bomb, based on the Mk 82 500-pound (227 kg) general-purpose bomb, but with the addition of a nose-mounted laser seeker and fins for guidance. A member of the Paveway series of weapons, Paveway II entered into service c. 1976. It is currently in service with the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and various other air forces.

The GBU-28 is a 5,000-pound (2,268 kg) class laser-guided "bunker busting" bomb produced originally by the Watervliet Arsenal, Watervliet, New York. It was designed, manufactured, and deployed in less than three weeks due to an urgent need during Operation Desert Storm to penetrate hardened Iraqi command centers located deep underground. Only two of the weapons were dropped in Desert Storm, both by F-111Fs. One GBU-28 was dropped during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and some reportedly during the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis.

The Mark 84 or BLU-117 is a 2,000 pound American general-purpose bomb. It is the largest of the Mark 80 series of weapons. Entering service during the Vietnam War, it became a commonly used US heavy unguided bomb to be dropped. At the time, it was the third largest bomb by weight in the US inventory behind the 15,000-pound (6,800 kg) BLU-82 "Daisy Cutter" and the 3,000-pound (1,400 kg) M118 "demolition" bomb. It is currently sixth in size due to the addition of the 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) GBU-28 in 1991, the 22,600 lb (10,300 kg) GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb (MOAB) in 2003, and the 30,000 lb (14,000 kg) Massive Ordnance Penetrator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark 83 bomb</span> Low-drag general-purpose (LDGP) bomb

The Mark 83 is a 1,000 pounds bomb, part of the Mark 80 series of low-drag general-purpose bombs in United States service.

The GBU-27 Paveway III is a laser-guided bomb with bunker buster capabilities, it is a GBU-24 Paveway III that has been redesigned to be used by the F-117A Nighthawk stealth ground attack aircraft. The pilots flying over Iraq during the First Gulf War nicknamed it the "Hammer", for its considerable destructive power and blast radius.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GBU-24 Paveway III</span> Laser-guided bomb

GBU-24 Paveway III or simply GBU-24 is a family of laser-guided bombs, a sub-group of the larger Raytheon Paveway III family of weapons. The Paveway guidance package consists of a seeker package attached to the nose of the weapon, and a wing kit attached to the rear to provide stability and greater range.

The Mark 82 is a 500 pound unguided, low-drag general-purpose bomb, part of the United States Mark 80 series. The explosive filling is usually tritonal, though other compositions have sometimes been used.

The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs", into all-weather precision-guided munitions. JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, giving them a published range of up to 15 nautical miles (28 km). JDAM-equipped bombs range from 500 to 2,000 pounds. The JDAM's guidance system was jointly developed by the United States Air Force and United States Navy, hence the "joint" in JDAM. When installed on a bomb, the JDAM kit is given a GBU identifier, superseding the Mark 80 or BLU nomenclature of the bomb to which it is attached.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General-purpose bomb</span> Aerial bomb used for multiple purposes

A general-purpose bomb is an air-dropped bomb intended as a compromise between blast damage, penetration, and fragmentation in explosive effect. They are designed to be effective against enemy troops, vehicles, and buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BOLT-117</span> First laser-guided aerial bomb

The Texas Instruments BOLT-117, retrospectively redesignated as the GBU-1/B was the world's first laser-guided bomb (LGB). It consisted of a standard M117 750-pound (340 kg) bomb case with a KMU-342 laser guidance and control kit. This consisted of a gimballed laser seeker on the front of the bomb and tail and control fins to guide the bomb to the target. The latter used the bang-bang method of control where each control surface was either straight or fully deflected. This was inefficient aerodynamically, but reduced costs and minimized demands on the primitive onboard electronics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GBU-16 Paveway II</span> Type of laser-guied bomb

The GBU-16 Paveway II is an American Paveway-series laser-guided bomb, based on the 1,000-pound (450 kg) Mk 83 general-purpose bomb, but with laser seeker and wings for guidance. The GBU-16 was introduced into service around 1976 and is used by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and various NATO air forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paveway IV</span> American precision-guided bomb

Paveway IV is a dual mode GPS/INS and laser-guided bomb manufactured by Raytheon UK. It is the latest iteration of the Paveway series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guided bomb</span> Bomb controllable from an external device

A guided bomb is a precision-guided munition designed to achieve a smaller circular error probable (CEP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Low Cost Autonomous Attack System</span> Small submunition-type missile

The Low Cost Autonomous Attack System (LOCAAS) was a loitering attack munition developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). In 1998 the USAF and U.S. Army Lockheed Martin began to examine the feasibility of a small, affordable cruise missile weapon for use against armoured and unarmoured vehicles, materiel and personnel, and if so develop a demonstration program. The program cost approximately $150,000,000; the cost per unit was calculated to be $30,000 based on a production of 12,000 units before cancellation.

The BLU-116 is a United States Air Force bomb, designed as an enhanced bunker buster penetration weapon, designed to penetrate deep into rock or concrete and destroy hard targets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AGM-176 Griffin</span> American-made air-to-surface and surface-to-surface guided missile

The AGM-176 Griffin is a lightweight, precision-guided munition developed by Raytheon. It can be launched from the ground or air as a rocket-powered missile or dropped from the air as a guided bomb. It carries a relatively small warhead, and was designed to be a precision low-collateral damage weapon for irregular warfare. It has been used in combat by the United States military during the War in Afghanistan.

SCALPEL is a laser-guided bomb produced by Lockheed Martin. The weapon is being developed from the Enhanced Laser Guided Training Round (E-LGTR) which is the training version of the Paveway II series of bombs. The rationale behind the system is to provide a light, low-collateral damage weapon which can utilise the infrastructure and platform integration already in place for the E-LGTR system. On 14 March 2010, the US Navy announced its intention to purchase Scalpel. The Navy completed some integration work in 2011 and the weapon was still self-funded as of 2016, but Scalpel could be ready for operations in "a year or two" depending if a launch customer commits extra funding and test range support. The Scalpel Plus version has a dual-mode SAL/GPS guidance system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Precision-guided munition</span> "Smart bombs", used to strike targets precisely

A precision-guided munition is a guided munition intended to precisely hit a specific target, to minimize collateral damage and increase lethality against intended targets. During the First Gulf War guided munitions accounted for only 9% of weapons fired, but accounted for 75% of all successful hits. Despite guided weapons generally being used on more difficult targets, they were still 35 times more likely to destroy their targets per weapon dropped.

References

  1. ↑ "Precision Strike Association | Richard H. Johnson Award". www.precisionstrike.org. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
  2. ↑ Poole, Walter (2013). Adapting to Flexible Response, 1960-1968. Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense. pp. 352–3.
  3. ↑ John Correll (1 March 2010). "The Emergence of Smart Bombs". Air Force Magazine.
  4. ↑ Drew, James; Seligman, Lara (21 February 2017). "F-35 Excels At Destroying Targets—If They Don't Move". aviationweek.com. Penton. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  5. ↑ Lockheed “Paragon” Challenges in PGMs Archived 2017-03-12 at the Wayback Machine - Airforcemag.com, 8 March 2017
  6. ↑ "Raytheon Paveway II". designation-systems.net.
  7. ↑ here, RAF Details. "RAF - Paveway II & III". raf.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 2015-05-25. Retrieved 2015-05-19.
  8. ↑ here, RAF Details. "RAF - Enhanced Paveway II & III". raf.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 2016-10-28. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  9. ↑ here, RAF Details. "RAF - Paveway IV". raf.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 2015-05-16. Retrieved 2015-05-19.
  10. ↑ "United States Patent and Trademark Office". ttabvue.uspto.gov. Retrieved July 4, 2009.
  11. ↑ "THIS OPINION IS NOT A PRECEDENT OF THE TTAB". ttabvue.uspto.gov. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Raytheon, Lockheed End IP War over Paveway Bombs - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Lockheed advancing Dual Mode Plus and Scalpel bombs". flightglobal.com. 29 March 2016.

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