The Lincoln Plawg

Tuesday, April 1, 2003 09:11 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; 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.

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?

In a (no doubt) vain attempt attempt at triangulation, I also looked at this Guardian piece from today, which, of course, has completely different numbers! It says that only 5,000 had been dropped (by USAF and USN - is the balance from Marines aircraft? Do they have any in theatre?); and that

There are about 13,000 JDAMs left in stockpiles around the world, according to air force estimates, and they can be shipped to the region relatively easily.

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?

The Guardian overall is rather upbeat. It seems that a squeeze on JDAM inventories (if it comes) may not greatly impede the war effort, as the emphasis moves to the battle with the Republican Guard around Baghdad. It quotes an expert as saying:

Laser-guided weapons are better than JDAMs when you start getting moving targets.

Which raises the question of how many SAMs the Iraqis have left - but sufficient unto the day...