Britain Deploys Paveway IV in Afghanistan
LONDON - British Royal Air Force Harrier GR9s are using a new precision-guided bomb against Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan. The weapon has been operationally deployed since November, but the Ministry of Defence only officially declared the Raytheon-built Paveway IV as having entered service Dec. 10.
At 500 pounds, the Paveway IV is half the size of the Enhanced Paveway II used by the British Harrier and Tornado GR4 fleets. (Ministry of Defence)
The guided bomb has already been used against insurgent forces in Afghanistan, an MoD spokesman confirmed.
Paveway IV is capable of being targeted by GPS or laser guidance. At 500 pounds, the warhead is half the size of the Enhanced Paveway II used by the British Harrier and Tornado GR4 fleets.
The bomb should have been in service last year, but its introduction was dogged by problems in developing a new fuze.
The U.K. arm of Raytheon was awarded a 140 million pound ($207.47 million) contract in December 2003 to develop and build Paveway IV. A further 150 million pounds is accounted for by integration work on the Harrier, Tornado and Typhoon.
After several years of deployment, the Harriers are due to be replaced in Afghanistan next spring by Royal Air Force Tornado strike aircraft.
Work is being accelerated via an urgent operational requirement to integrate Paveway IV onto the Tornado to ensure there won't be a gap in capability as the new aircraft type deploys.
Originally, the MoD was aiming to have the weapon available on board the Tornado in 2011, followed by the Eurofighter Typhoon and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft when it eventually comes into service.
In a statement released Dec. 10, Defence Procurement Minister Quentin Davis said the weapon's "sophisticated guidance system and sensors will give new levels of flexibility to our pilots, allowing them to switch targets midflight and rapidly respond to changing factors on the ground."
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