Air Force orders more Paveway II Plus guided bomb kits

ARCHBALD, Pa., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin reports it has received a follow-on production contract from the U.S. Air Force for Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb kits.

The $40.3 million contract is the eighth under a five-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract and involves computer control groups and airfoil groups for GBU-10 and GBU-12 bombs.

Deliveries of the kits will begin in June of next year, the company said.

Paveway is a kit attached to freefall MK-84 (2,000 lb.), GBU-12 MK-82 (500 lb.) and GBU-16 MK-83 (1,000 lb.) bombs and converts them into precision-guided weapons through the use of a nose-mounted laser seeker.

Lockheed said its Paveway II Plus kit consists of a MAU-209C/B computer control group that contains the electronic guidance system and an airfoil group to provide lift and stability to the weapon.

"Lockheed Martin is focused on continuous improvement in our current and emerging line of precision guided systems so we can deliver exceptional capability at the best value to the warfighter," said Joe Serra, precision guided systems manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "This contract extends U.S. Air Force production at our Archbald, Pa., facility through first quarter 2016."