Boeing and US Air Force sign deal to build guided jet-powered bombs capable of traveling 300 nautical miles

Boeing lands $75 million contract for its new long-range guided bomb GBU-75 bomb travels over 300 nautical miles using a turbojet engine Boeing spent nearly $100 million of its own money before this deal Boeing has received a $75 million Undefinitized Contract Action from the US Air Force to begin b

<![CDATA[ <article> <ul><li><strong>Boeing lands $75 million contract for its new long-range guided bomb</strong></li><li><strong>GBU-75 bomb travels over 300 nautical miles using a turbojet engine</strong></li><li><strong>Boeing spent nearly $100 million of its own money before this deal</strong></li></ul><p>Boeing has received a $75 million Undefinitized Contract Action from the US Air Force to begin building its new long-range guided bomb.</p><p>The weapon, known as the GBU-75, pairs a 500-pound-class, or 226-kilogram, JDAM warhead with a wing kit and a compact turbojet engine.</p><p>This combination allows the bomb to travel more than 300 nautical miles, far beyond what earlier JDAM variants could achieve.</p><h2 id="turbojet-kit-extends-jdam-s-reach">Turbojet kit extends JDAM's reach</h2><p>Boeing's official designation for the kit is the BSU-111/B Payload Delivery Unit, built around the existing Joint Direct Attack Munition guidance system.</p><p>Earlier upgrades to the JDAM family included a tail kit that extended range to roughly 15 nautical miles and a wing kit that reached 40.</p><p>The new turbojet engine, designed by Kratos and designated the TDI-J85, pushes that distance well beyond 300 nautical miles now.</p><p><a href="https://boeing.mediaroom.com/news-releases-statements?item=131704" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Boeing</a> says it has invested nearly $100 million of its own funds into developing the JDAM LR program before this contract arrived.</p><p>"This first production contract is a major milestone for the JDAM LR program, allowing us to deliver long-range precision strike at a lower cost," said Bob Ciesla, vice president of Boeing Precision Engagement Systems.</p><p>The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hill Air Force Base in Utah manages JDAM purchases for both the Air Force and Navy.</p><p>Despite that dual role, the first batch of GBU-75 bombs produced under this contract is intended for the Navy.</p><h2 id="testing-record-and-contracting-concerns">Testing record and contracting concerns</h2><p>The Navy tested the system in April 2026, when F/A-18 Super Hornets released two JDAM LR units over the Point Mugu Sea Range in California.</p><p>On April 1, the bomb separated cleanly, ignited its engine, and flew for 34 minutes, landing within meters of its intended site.</p><p>That flight covered roughly 200 nautical miles, while a second test on April 3 added altitude changes and additional maneuvering.</p><p>"As Naval Air Forces in theater continue to rely heavily on JDAM systems, the program recognizes a critical need to provide the fleet with greater standoff range," said Capt. Sarah Abbott, the Navy's Precision Strike Weapons program manager.</p><p>The Pentagon's daily list of contract announcements had not included this award as of August 5, raising questions about disclosure timing.</p><p>Because the deal is an undefinitized contract action, Boeing began production work before both sides agreed on a final price.</p><p>The Government Accountability Office has repeatedly warned that such contracts carry financial risk, since contractors are reimbursed for allowable costs regardless of final terms.</p><p>Boeing's announcement did not disclose how many GBU-75 bombs the contract covers, what they will ultimately cost, or when deliveries will begin.</p><p>Boeing has also proposed a mining variant called QuickStrike Long Range, pairing the kit with a ship-tracking sensor for maritime use.</p><p>Taken together, the contract suggests steady confidence in the JDAM LR design, though unresolved pricing means taxpayers still do not know the program's full cost.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:676px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:31.51%;"><img id="diM9tpwF2Lz85R8q85CT78" name="tr-g_news" alt="Google logo on a black background next to text reading 'Click to follow TechRadar'" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/diM9tpwF2Lz85R8q85CT78.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="676" height="213" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div></figure> </article> ]]>