Editor Note: They have repeatedly mistaken the JDAM "Bomb" for a Missile in this release.
PacificSentinel
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Korea's Air Force mainstay KF-16 fighter jets will have their performance enhanced by installing and dropping GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) precision-guided missiles.
The Air Force highly expects that KF-16 high performance will suppress enemy's attack more accurately and efficiently in case of emergencies.
"Recently we have developed a software that enables JDAM to be fired and improved combat capabilities of KF-16," said the Air Force on Feb. 9.
According to the Air Force, JDAM is a precision-guided bomb guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Positioning System that can disable North Korea's long range artilleries and other strategic targets at the same time. So far, the state-of-the-art missile system has been operated on F-15K fighter jets. In order to operate JDAM on KF-16, producer has to either purchase proper software or develop it in Korea.
Aviation Software Support Center within in the Air Force Logistics Command began developing a software that connects the KF-16s with JDAM missiles since 2008. The center has also successfully carried out actual firing tests.
"We have performed actual firing test three times and confirmed that our self-developed software fits to JDAM can precisely hit enemy's main target," said Maj. Kim Se-hun who was in charge of software development and firing tests. "The Air Force not only improved operation management capabilities but also strengthened techniques for developing software of aviation weapon system. We also experienced budgeta reduction worth 30 billion won [$26.6 million]."
Col. Jeong Deok-yong, the head of the center, said, "Based on accumulated technical skills, we are going to improve weapon system software development support skills more."
South Korea MoND
