The U.S. Navy has successfully demonstrated a Raytheon dual-mode, precision-guided weapon that is said to offer flexibility not found in other weapons systems being produced. A U.S. Navy F/A-18 aircraft dropped Enhanced Paveway IIs at its China Lake Test Range, Calif. on May 17 and May 31. The testing included deploying four EGBU-12 Paveways with 500-pound warheads.

Article Tools

• 

The Paveway bomb kits turn conventional "dumb" bombs into precision-guided weapons. The enhanced Paveway II features a GPS-aided inertial navigation system and a laser guidance system, offering a single, precision-guided weapon for all situations. The resulting dual-mode capability offers true all-weather operational flexibility not found in other weapons systems being produced: GPS guidance for poor weather conditions and precise laser guidance when required for mobile targets of opportunity.

The tests also verified that the Enhanced Paveway II can be used on the F/A-18 without modification to the existing aircraft hardware or software. The kits are manufactured at Raytheon's Missile Systems business in Tucson, Ariz. Raytheon's dual-mode, GPS/laser-guided munitions is said to be the only combat-proven, dual-mode weapon systems in production today.