# What's the proportion of "dumb/gravity bombs" to JDAMs in the US? When are they used? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 18, 2018, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-proportion-of-dumb-gravity-bombs-to-jdams-in-the-us-when-are-they-used/818149 "2018-07-18T14:46:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-proportion-of-dumb-gravity-bombs-to-jdams-in-the-us-when-are-they-used/818149/1 "2018-07-18T14:46:36Z")
See query, regarding the [JDAM](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Direct_Attack_Munition) (Joint Direct Attack Munition) which _per se_ is a retrofit kit for unguided [gravity bombs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General-purpose_bomb#Modern_American_GP_bombs:_the_Mark_80_series). The cost differential, as far as these things ago, and the amount of bombing we have acknowledged to be doing, doesn’t seem high, I don’t think. What are the stockpiles? 1. Related, of course: when do we even designate unguided bombs to be used? [2a. Parenthetical question: what is the correct way to say “designating ammunition…” here?] 2. In addition to JDAM retrofits we have super-accurate and pricey bombs. All I can think of at the moment are the [Have-Naps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popeye_(missile)) and a derivative, [Spice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spice_(bomb)), which may be Israel-only now. What are our similar munitions? ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-proportion-of-dumb-gravity-bombs-to-jdams-in-the-us-when-are-they-used/818149/2 "2018-07-19T02:57:39Z")
1. Paveway II, III, IV. Enhanced Paveway family, which adds GPS/INS guidance to Paveway family of laser-guidance packages. GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP); note this is different than the MOAB below. Griffin Laser Guided Bomb (Griffin LGB) is a laser-guided bomb system made by Israel Aerospace Industries. GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) uses GPS. Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD) is a GPS/INS-guided US tail kit for use with the TMD (Tactical Munitions Dispenser) family of cluster bombs to convert them to precision-guided munitions. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-proportion-of-dumb-gravity-bombs-to-jdams-in-the-us-when-are-they-used/818149/3 "2018-07-19T03:03:27Z")
1. Area saturation such as a ravine/canyon/cave complex. Shock and awe. They aren’t that dumb if the aircraft crew is sharp and has good ground co-ordinates. B-52s/B-1s/B-2s can lay sticks of bombs with some accuracy; especially on subsequent passes. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-proportion-of-dumb-gravity-bombs-to-jdams-in-the-us-when-are-they-used/818149/4 "2018-07-19T03:04:40Z")
Thanks. [I was wondering why this OP–a type usually glommed on by many–was so quiet :)] Good info, which partly confirms my thoughts on pricey (MOPs and MOABs) vs. cheap(er) (the upgrade Enhanced Paveway and the WCMD retrofit. So can anyone weigh in on stockpile and tactical use of plain old dumb bombs? eta: ninja’ed ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-proportion-of-dumb-gravity-bombs-to-jdams-in-the-us-when-are-they-used/818149/5 "2018-07-19T03:06:13Z")
1. GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB)