The Lincoln Plawg

Tuesday, April 1, 2003 08:10 p.m.

Is there a looming JDAM shortage?

I'm not getting into the technical detail here - this more than adequately describes the gizmo we're talking about: if I understand it aright, a tailkit which is attached to the end of a dumb bomb and guides it to its target.

A potential shortage of JDAMs was one of the many problems attributed to Rumsfeld's management methods by the Seymour Hersh piece I dealt with in my piece earlier today.

A piece in today's Boston Globe says that the DOD says it started the war with an inventory of 30,000 units [1]; and that 8,000 had already been dropped.

According to the Globe, makers Boeing are producing JDAM kits at the rate of around 80 a day - didn't they make Liberty Ships quicker during World War 2? - which scarcely does much to fill in the gap in fast-depleting inventory.

There are 100,000 laser-guided bombs in stock - but apparently they have accuracy problems where there are clouds around! (Good job that UN process took us into the Iraqi summer, then!) And, according to this, they

are excellent performers in dive deliveries initiated from medium altitude.

But

Medium altitude LGB dive delivery tactics are normally used in areas of low to medium threat.

Does that describe Iraqi defensive positions around Baghdad?

Yet another reason for Saddam to be playing for time.

This piece from Boeing Country datelined January 21, had Air Force Secretary James Roche saying that there were then 17,000 JDAMs in stock. At 80 kits a day, that makes 4,800 in 60 days: disinformation or poor math?