The United States Department of State approved on Thursday (09) the sale of Paveway and JDAM (t Direct Attack Munition) smart bomb kits to Singapore. Valued at US$ 55 million, the deal must still be authorized by the US Congress.
According to a note published by Security and Defense Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the Singaporean government requested the purchase of 100 KMU-556 kits for 31-pound GBU-2000 JDAM bombs; 900 KMU-572 kits for GBU-38 JDAM and GBU-54 Laser JDAM 500 pounds and 250 MAU-169 and MXU-650 kits for GBU-12 Paveway II bombs, also 500 pounds. The sale also includes DSU-38 laser guidance sets, logistical , spare parts, training and technical .
“This proposed sale will the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States”, says the DSCA, further stating that the acquisition of materials “will the ability of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) to contribute to coalition operations and meet national defense requirements.”
The kits acquired by Singapore transform ordinary bombs into intelligent weapons, guided by GPS (JDAM) and/or laser (Paveway II and Laser JDAM), which increases the accuracy of the attack and, consequently, its lethality, as well as reduces the possibility of collateral damage. JDAM and Paveway pumps have been in wide use around the world for decades.
In Singapore, they are used from fighter jets F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15SG Strike Eagle of the RSAF. In this way, the country “will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces”, as highlighted by the US agency.
