Defence

Raytheon Systems has begun manufacturing its first production Paveway IV precision-guided bombs for the UK Ministry of Defence after completing a critical design review of the weapon late last year. Drop tests of the 225kg (500lb) design will start in the first quarter of this year, with the bomb scheduled to enter service in the middle of 2007. The UK is to acquire an initial 2,300 Paveway IVs at a unit cost of £30,000 ($53,000), according to the UK’s National Audit Office.