BAE Systems has successfully conducted test-firing of the Paveway IV precision-guided bomb from Eurofighter Typhoon multi-role combat aircraft at an undisclosed location.
Carried out in close cooperation with Raytheon UK, the field trials demonstrate further improvement of the aircraft’s air-to-surface attack capability.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The testing was conducted as part of Typhoon’s Phase 1 Enhancements (P1Eb) programme, which enables the full capability of the Paveway IV bombs to be utilised on the aircraft for the UK Royal Air Force (RAF).
Designed to further consolidate Typhoon’s position as a multi-role fighter aircraft, the P1Eb programme includes integration of a range of new weapons, including Paveway IV, EGBU-16, air-to-surface systems, identification friend or foe (IFF), as well as laser designator pod (LDP) into Tranche 2 aircraft of the partner countries.
Pursued with funding of £458m from the UK, Spain, Italy and Germany, the programme is designed to provide the aircraft with seamless air-to-ground integration capability, as well as establishing the baseline for future installations including the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and Meteor missile.
Manufactured by Raytheon, Paveway IV is a low-cost, dual mode GPS/INS and laser-guided bomb designed to provide the aircraft with a 24-hour precision bombing capability to defeat a wide range of general-purpose targets with minimum collateral damage in all-weather conditions.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataThe cockpit-programmable weapon enables the aircrew to select weapon impact angle, attack direction and fusing mode during a mission, providing maximum flexibility for destruction of re-locatable, moving, and fixed targets.
Typhoon possesses the ability to fly with up to six Paveway IV bombs, which have already proven their effectiveness during the RAF’s 2011 air campaign over Libya, and also in Afghanistan.
Image: A Paveway IV bomb mounted under the wing of a Typhoon fighter aircraft. Photo: courtesy of BAE Systems.
