thumb|U.S. Navy crewmen loading GBU-12s onto an F-14

The GBU-12 Paveway II is an American aerial laser-guided bomb, based on the Mk 82 general-purpose bomb, but with the addition of a nose-mounted laser seeker and fins for guidance. A member of the Paveway series of weapons, Paveway II entered into service c. 1976. It is currently in service with the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and various other air forces.

Development and deployment

The development of the GBU-12 traces back to the Vietnam War. The U.S. Air Force wanted a greater variety of laser-guided bombs, especially a lighter and more maneuverable one to be able to hit moving targets on the Ho Chi Minh trail. Earlier designs of guided bombs such as the BOLT-117 were quickly superseded by the Paveway series of add-on kits for conventional bombs.

GBU-12 bombs entered service in 1976

The GBU-12 has been used in numerous conflicts such as the Gulf War; F-111s destroyed 920 Iraqi tanks and APCs with GBU-12s. It is among the most commonly used guided munitions, and as such is able to be dropped from a very wide variety of aircraft, such as the F-111, B-52, A-10, F-15E, F/A-18, B-1B, F-16C/D, and F-35 (GBU-49).

Guidance

The US Department of Defense has upgraded GBU-12 production versions to include GPS guidance modes. Lockheed Martin is the sole source for US Navy purchases of this version. Raytheon sells upgraded GBU-12s to the US Government and 23 other nations.

References

  • Raytheon's official Paveway fact page
  • Lockheed Martin Paveway fact page