The Boeing Company received a $12.5 million contract from U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) for 1,116 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (Laser JDAM) sensors. This is NAVAIR's third Low Rate Initial Production order for its Direct Attack Moving Target Capability (DAMTC). It follows an $8.3 million NAVAIR order for 700 laser sensors on Jan. 31 that allows the U.S. Air Force to maintain its Laser JDAM combat inventory levels.

JDAM is a low-cost guidance kit that converts existing unguided free-fall bombs into near precision-guided weapons. Laser JDAMs have added the capability to prosecute moving targets, maritime threats and other relocatable targets of opportunity. Boeing intentionally designed its JDAM kit to be modular so that the product can mature with a variety of other technological upgrades, such as wing kits that triple its range, improved immunity to GPS jamming, and an all-weather radar sensor.

Boeing completed the development and testing cycle for its Laser JDAM less than 17 months after it was identified as an urgent operational need in early 2007. The company delivered the first production laser sensor kits to the U.S. Air Force in May 2008 and to the U.S. Navy in October 2008. Laser JDAM was successfully employed by the Air Force in combat in Iraq in August 2008. NAVAIR's first Low Rate Initial Production order under DAMTC was a March 2011 contract for 700 Laser JDAM kits.