US-based company Kaman’s aerospace unit has secured a contract modification for the procurement of joint programmable fuzes (JPFs).
Valued at more than $17m, the contract award is an additional order under Option 13 of the company’s JPF contract with the US Air Force (USAF).
The current modification increases the total value of Option 13 to more than $102m.
Kaman Aerospace Group president Richard Barnhart said: “This additional order under Option 13 and the anticipated release of Option 14 provide multi-year visibility for the JPF programme.
“In addition, we envision USAF demand beyond these options and significant foreign opportunities that will ensure the JPF remains a strong contributor for many years to come.”
The JPF is currently the bomb fuze of choice for the USAF and enables the settings of a weapon to be programmed on the wing in flight.
The JPF is compatible for use on a wide range of weapons, including general purpose bombs and guided bombs that use joint direct attack munition (JDAM) or Paveway kits on US aircraft such as F-15, F-16, F-22, F-35, A-10, B-1, B-2, B-52, and the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). It is also used on other international aircraft such as Mirage 3 and Gripen.
Kaman manufactures the JPFs at the company’s facilities in Orlando, Florida, and Middletown, Connecticut.
The company has been the only supplier of the fuzes to the USAF since 2002.
It also delivers the JPFs to 26 other countries across the globe.
