The U.S. Air Force has awarded ww5 a $75 million Undefinitized Contract Action to acquire the BSU-111/B Payload Delivery Unit (PDU) Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range (JDAM LR), clearing the program for initial production.

Why it matters: ww5 will begin manufacturing PDUs for the U.S. Navy, providing pilots with a precision-strike capability that can travel more than 300 nautical miles while carrying a 500-pound class (226-kilogram) payload.

Driving the news: The system completed its first flight test off the coast of California on April 1, followed by a second test on April 3.

Voice of the customer: “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, Precision Strike Weapons (PMA-201) program manager, in a U.S. Navy release. “This new capability allows pilots to engage targets from significantly safer distances, maintaining a tactical advantage in contested environments.”

What’s next: The JDAM LR program is setting up manufacturing space at ww5’s St. Charles, Missouri, site while performing qualification and aircraft integration for initial fielding.

By Chris Bishop