U.S. Approves Sale of Thousands of Precision Munition Kits to Israel
The deal enhances Israel’s defensive capabilities with JDAM kits for BKU-109 and MK 82 bombs, reinforcing regional security without altering the military balance
Photo by Airman 1st Class Jonathan Valdes, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
The United States Department of State has approved the sale of thousands of precision munition kits to Israel, intended for two types of bombs: BKU-109 and MK 82. The sale includes 3,845 KMU-5583 B strike kits for BLU-109 bombs, as well as 3,280 KNU-572 F/B JDAM kits for MK82 bombs.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) stated that the approval of the deal is intended to enhance Israel’s ability to protect its borders, critical infrastructure, and population centers. It was also noted that the deal aligns with the U.S. national interest and its ability to assist Israel in maintaining strong self-defense capabilities.
JDAM systems, manufactured by Boeing at its plant in St. Charles, Missouri, are designed to convert unguided (“dumb”) bombs into precise (“smart”) guided bombs using inertial navigation and GPS. These kits currently constitute an important component of the air-to-ground strike capabilities of the United States and its allies.
In its statement, the DSCA emphasized that supplying the kits will not change the military balance in the region and that Israel has full capability to integrate the kits into its existing munitions. The statement clarified that these are means to improve the precision of existing munitions, not the supply of new weapon systems. According to a report by Defense Blog, the U.S. administration announced that some of the kits intended for Israel will be taken from U.S. Army stockpiles.