Paveway

A US-origin family of guidance kits that converts general-purpose and penetrator bombs into laser-guided or dual-mode laser/GPS precision weapons.

Overview

Paveway is a family of air-launched precision-guidance kits fitted to standard general-purpose or penetrator bomb bodies. Its basic architecture combines a nose-mounted seeker and computer-control group with movable forward canards and a rear wing or tail assembly. Earlier versions use semi-active laser guidance, requiring reflected laser energy from a designated target; Enhanced Paveway and Paveway IV add GPS-aided inertial navigation for attacks when continuous laser designation is unavailable.

The family encompasses weapons from the 227 kg-class GBU-12 and GBU-49 to the 907 kg-class GBU-10, as well as penetrating weapons such as the GBU-24, GBU-27 and GBU-28. Paveway kits have been integrated with more than 40 aircraft types, while the US inventory alone includes carriage by the A-10, B-1B, B-52, F-15E, F-16C/D, F-35A and MQ-9, according to Air & Space Forces Magazine. The family has remained in service by combining inexpensive kit-based conversion of existing bomb stocks with successive improvements to seekers, control laws and navigation.

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