US approves possible sale of air-launched munitions for RoKAF F-35s

A Republic of Korea Air Force Lockheed Martin F-35A drops a GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb during a training exercise in November 2022. (South Korea MND)

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of munitions for South Korea's Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIs.

In an announcement on 1 December the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said that the South Korean government had requested the purchase of a range of air-launched munitions for the Republic of Korea Air Force's (RoKAF's) F-35. The proposed sale has a value of USD271 million, according to the DSCA.

The munitions include 39 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) and 86 Mk 84 General Purpose (GP) 2,000 lb bombs for the GBU-31V(1) Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), 70 BLU-109C/B 2,000 lb bombs for the GBU-31V(3) JDAM, and 342 Mk 82 500 lb GP bombs for the GBU-12 Paveway II or GBU-54 Laser JDAM (LJDAM).

Also included in the proposed sale is associated equipment to transform the air-to-ground munitions into smart weapons, such as 88 KMU-556 tail kits for the GBU-31(V)1 JDAM, 78 KMU- 572 tail kits for the GBU-54 LJDAM, and 70 KMU-557 tail kits for the GBU- 31(V)3 JDAM. The proposed sale also comprises 269 MAU-169 Computer Control Groups/Guidance Sections and 269 MXU-650 Airfoil Groups for the GBU-12 Paveway II.

Other equipment include two AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM Guidance Sections, 12 Mk 82 inert bombs, 35 GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb-Increment 1 (SDB-I) All-Up-Rounds (AURs) with containers, and 118 GBU-53 SDB-Increment 2 (SDB-II) AURs.

The AIM-120C-8 is an export variant similar to the AIM-120D, which has extended range, improved guidance, enhanced datalinks, and new software, compared with the earlier AIM-120C-7 version.