United States Boeing
GBU-38 JDAM
American GPS/INS guidance kit fitted to a 500 lb Mk 82 bomb body, converting an unguided bomb into a precision-guided munition under the JDAM family.
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-05
💲 ≈ $21,000, FY2021 average per-kit cost within base budgets was about US$21,000 (USAF) and US$22,208 (USN); supplemental-budget orders averaged up to US$36,000 (USAF). Cost is for the JDAM tail kit, not the Mk 82 bomb body.
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 89 kg |
|---|---|
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Mk 82 general-purpose (500 lb / 227 kg class) |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | GPS, INS |
Munition
Round type, penetration, velocity and projectile data.
| Round type APFSDS (kinetic sabot), HEAT / multipurpose, HE-FRAG, canister or gun-launched ATGM. | GPS-guided bomb |
|---|---|
| Effective range Practical engagement range of the round. | 28,000 m |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $21,000 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Boeing and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-05.
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Israel Aerospace Industries LAHAT gun-launched ATGM Frequently asked questions
How much does the Boeing GBU-38 JDAM cost? +
The Boeing GBU-38 JDAM has an approximate unit cost of 21,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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