Paul Lewis/UTAPAO
The Royal Thai Air Force has unveiled an extended-range development of the Texas Instrument GBU-12/Paveway II laser-guided bomb, equipped with extendible wings and a global-positioning-system (GPS) antenna.
The strap-on Longshot modification kit is claimed to extend the range of the 227kg munition to up to 30km (16nm) when released from an altitude of 30,000ft (9,000m) at an airspeed of 600kt (1,110km/h). The bomb retains the same accuracy of Paveway II system.
The Longshot has already been successfully dropped nine times in trials with a Northrop Grumman F-5E, says the air force, which adds that weapon has also been designed to be compatible with its Lockheed Martin F-16A/B. It says that a decision has yet been taken to put the modification into production.
The Longshot enhancement consists of two extendible 2.4m -span wings which fold outwards to 20í after the bomb is dropped. The wing is equipped with control surfaces for mid-course flight corrections and is controlled by an onboard computer, using a GPS antenna for position referencing. The system also has a pitot tube.
It employs a two-stage flight profile, disconnecting the wing and GPS at 6,000ft. The GBU-12 bomb then relies on a laser designator and Paveway II's acquisition head in the terminal phase. The 40.8kg Longshot increases the Paveway II's overall weight to 375kg.
The air force says that it is also planning to test the Longshot modification on a conventional GBU-12 bomb without fitting the Paveway II head. It adds that the wing is considered to be too small for the heavier GBU-24/Paveway III laser-guided bomb.
Source: Flight International
