$5.2M for the First 71 BLU-122 “Bunker-Buster” Warheads
Jun 03, 2005 05:45 EDT
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems in Niceville, FL received a $5.2 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to provide for the first production lot of 71 BLU-122 penetrator warheads.
The BLU-122 “bunker buster” warhead is part of a 5,000 lb weapon designed to defeat hard and deeply buried targets. It significantly improves upon the performance of the BLU-113 warhead by incorporating the latest technological advances in warhead designs and explosives. The new warhead also incorporates design improvements to improve its insensitive munition performance. The latest GBU-28 bomb variant delivers the warhead using a combinaton Laser/ Inertial navigation/ GPS guidance system. It is carried on B-2 stealth bombers and F-15E Strike Eagle attack aircraft.
The BLU-122 warhead emerged from the BLU-113 Pre-Planned Product Improvement (P3I) program. Its effect will be to widen the number of fortified and/or buried targets the U.S. air Force can successfully attack and generally improve the GBU-28’s penetrability, survivability, and lethality. Its effect against targets like buried production and/or research facilities for weapons of mass destruction or enemy command centers is obvious.
This contract modification also obligates funds to support implementation of the Unique Identification and Valuation requirement, which DID covered here.
The locations of performance are FAXON Machine in Cincinnati, OH and Superior Forge and Steel in Lima, OH. Solicitation began April 2005, negotiations were completed May 2005, and work will be complete by March 2006. The Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base, FL issued the contract (F08635-03-C-0025, P00005).
