Logistics Command to procure air-to-ground weapons for F-35 fighters
The weapon package of the F-35 aircraft procurement will be supplemented with JDAM and SDB I munitions.
Major General Jari Mikkonen, the Chief of the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command (FDFLOGCOM) signed the procurement contract of JDAM and SDB I munitions for the F-35 multirole fighter on 29th February 2024. The Minister of Defence has authorised the Defence Forces Logistics Command to conduct the procurement.
The object of the procurement is JDAM and SDB I systems with related equipment and services in the years 2024–2030. The procurement is referred to as the Total Package Approach (TPA) which means that, in addition to JDAM and SDB I bombs, the procurement includes BRU-61 munitions carriage assemblies, training material, manuals, spare parts, accessories, transport services and manufacturer’s and supplier’s training and support services. It will contain spare parts and manufacturer’s and supplier’s support services until 2030.
The procurement contract is in dollars and its index-linked ceiling price is 96 011 515 US dollars, that is, 79 112 982.04 euros at 2021 prices (VAT 0 %, 29 Jan 2021; 1 euro = 1.21360 USD). The purchase payments will take place during the years 2024-2030.
The procurement will be carried out in line with the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) procedure between the U.S. and Finnish authorities wherein the Defence Forces Logistics Command will conclude the procurement contract with the United States administration.
JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) is a modular guidance kit for 500, 1 000 or 2 000-pound bombs of the Mark 80 series. Apart from a guidance kit, a fuse or sensor is installed on a bomb depending on the intended use. A JDAM-equipped bomb can perform precision strikes on fixed or moving targets at a short range.
SDB I (Small Diameter Bomb I) is a glide bomb that is capable of striking precisely medium-range targets. Thanks to the relatively small size of the bomb, a fighter is able to carry a higher number of SDB I bombs at a time.
- Guided bombs and glide bombs are part of the weapon procurement package enabling the Air Force to have the capability to support the other Services in combat activities. The weapons of Finland’s F-35 fighters will be procured in stages by the year 2035. The phased implementation of weapon procurements will enable us to optimise the weapons composition as the F-35 programme progresses. This way we also ensure that we can have the most up-to-date weapon types with the longest feasible service life for our F-35 fighters. Some of the weapon types to be purchased can be used also with our current F/A-18 fleet. So, when we transition to the F-35, we can profit from the skills and system expertise gained so far, F-35 Program Director, Colonel (ret), Henrik Elo says.
