Boeing won a $75 million undefinitized contract to begin producing the GBU-75, a long-range JDAM kit that combines a 500-pound (226-kg) warhead with wings and a Kratos TDI-J85 turbojet to reach beyond 300 nautical miles. Navy tests in April 2026 saw a 34-minute, ~200-nautical-mile flight that landed within meters of the target. Boeing invested nearly $100 million of its own funds in the program, but the undefinitized award and limited disclosure leave quantity, final pricing, and delivery dates unclear.
JDAM Gets a Turbojet: Boeing Wins $75M Contract to Build Long-Range GBU-75
Credit: Boeing
Boeing has received a $75 million undefinitized contract action from the US Air Force to start production of the GBU-75, a long-range evolution of the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM). The kit pairs a 500-pound (226-kg) JDAM warhead with a wing kit and a compact Kratos TDI-J85 turbojet engine to extend its standoff range well beyond earlier variants.
What the GBU-75 Does
The official kit name is the BSU-111/B Payload Delivery Unit, which integrates with the existing JDAM guidance system. Earlier JDAM upgrades used tail kits to reach roughly 15 nautical miles and wing kits to reach about 40 nautical miles. With the addition of the TDI-J85 turbojet, Boeing says the GBU-75 can travel more than 300 nautical miles, turning a familiar guided bomb into a long-range precision strike munition.
Testing and Performance
The Navy tested the system in April 2026 when F/A-18 Super Hornets released two JDAM LR units over the Point Mugu Sea Range in California. On April 1 one weapon separated cleanly, ignited its engine, and flew for 34 minutes before impacting within meters of the intended aim point; that flight covered roughly 200 nautical miles. A second test on April 3 added altitude changes and additional maneuvering, demonstrating greater mission flexibility.
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Bob Ciesla, Vice President of Boeing Precision Engagement Systems: "This first production contract is a major milestone for the JDAM LR program, allowing us to deliver long-range precision strike at a lower cost."
Capt. Sarah Abbott, Navy Precision Strike Weapons Program Manager: "As Naval Air Forces in theater continue to rely heavily on JDAM systems, the program recognizes a critical need to provide the fleet with greater standoff range."
Contract Details and Oversight Questions
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hill Air Force Base manages JDAM procurement for both the Air Force and the Navy. Although this award is a production milestone, it is an undefinitized contract action, meaning Boeing began work before final pricing and quantity terms were settled. Boeing also reports it invested nearly $100 million of its own funds in the JDAM LR effort prior to this award.
Because the award was not listed on the Pentagon's daily contract announcements as of August 5, questions were raised about disclosure timing. The Government Accountability Office has repeatedly cautioned that undefinitized contract actions carry financial risk, since contractors are reimbursed for allowable costs irrespective of final terms. Boeing's announcement did not disclose how many GBU-75 units the contract covers, the final unit price, or a delivery schedule.
Variants and Implications
Boeing has proposed a maritime variant called QuickStrike Long Range that would pair the kit with a ship-tracking sensor for mining or anti-surface missions. Taken together, the contract award and successful tests indicate confidence in the JDAM LR design and its potential to provide lower-cost, long-range precision effects. Still, limited public details and the undefinitized contract status leave open questions about total program cost and oversight.
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