LONDON — Royal Air Force Typhoons are to be equipped with a bunker-busting penetrator version of the Paveway IV in time to replace the capability on the Tornado strike jet when it goes out of service, precision-guided bomb maker Raytheon announced at the DSEI defence Defence and Security Equipment International show, which opened in London on Sept 15.
The UK arm of Raytheon has secured a deal valued at around £25 million (US $38.58 million) to develop, qualify and manufacture the new warhead for the Paveway IV weapon.
Discussions are also underway to integrate the enhanced penetrator version of the weapon on the F-35B strike jets Britain is buying being purchased by the British for the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force service. Integration of the standard Paveway IV is already well underway on the F-35.
Paveway IV has been in RAF service since 2008 and has seen heavy use in RAF campaigns in Afghanistan, Libya and now against Islamic State targets in Iraq.
Typhoon and Tornado operator Saudi Arabia is the only export customer, although purchase of the aircraft by Oman and last week's announcement that Kuwait is to acquire the combat jet will likely eventually add both nations to the customer base.
The company expects to make it’s initial delivery of the new penetrator warhead in the first quarter of 2019, more or less coinciding with Tornado’s expected out-of-service date.
Raytheon UK’s weapons business director, John Michel, said the new penetrator had pretty much the same performance as the 2,000-pound BLU-109 bomb used in the Paveway 3 III weapon that the Tornado is currently using for bunker-busting duties missions.
The penetrator was designed by Raytheon with help from London-based Qinetiq. The warhead will be built by Rheinmetall Italia, the German company's Italian arm.
The development incorporates a discarding shroud that which enables the weapon to retain the same mold line and mass as the standard Paveway IV. The penetrator warhead can be swapped with Paveway IV’s the conventional warhead on Paveway IV’s to suit the particular mission.
It's the first spiral development of the 500-pound guided bomb under a package of intended improvements known as Selective Precision Effects at Range (Spear) Capability 1. A further planned enhancement currently being pursued is looking at improving guidance in high wind and against fast moving targets.
The weapon uses GPS and laser for guidance.
Michel’s said discussions continue with the British Ministry of Defence reviewing the possible use of a new anti-jamming capability for the weapon's GPS.
A third development to come up with a low collateral warhead for the weapon has been quietly dropped with the RAF preferring to rely on the MBDA Brimstone 2 missile for that particular requirement. Brimstone is currently being integrated on to the Typhoon. The Meteor air-to-air missile and Storm Shadow cruise missiles are also at various stages of integration as the British rush to give the Typhoon the same capability as the outgoing Tornado.
The Raytheon executive said discussions continue over the possible use of Paveway IV on RAF Reaper drones were ongoing.
Email: achuter@defensenews.com
Andrew Chuter is the United Kingdom correspondent for Defense News.
