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Air Force orders more bomb fuzes

The U.S. Air Force is ordering Joint Programmable Fuzes from Kamen under an option to an existing contract.

By Richard Tomkins
The Joint Programmable Fuze used on USAF ordnance. Photo: Kamen Corporation.
The Joint Programmable Fuze used on USAF ordnance. Photo: Kamen Corporation.

BLOOMFIELD, Conn., March 30 (UPI) -- Kaman Corporation through a $58 million contract modification.

The Connecticut-headquartered company said the modification represents option 12 of an earlier contract for its Joint Programmable Fuzes and that the order is the first order under the option.

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The new JPF units ordered will be delivered in 2016 and 2017.

"We believe the JPF is the most reliable bomb fuze in the U.S. military's arsenal," said Greg Steiner, President, Kaman Aerospace Group. "No other bomb fuze has the functionality or provides the operational flexibility of the JPF and Kaman is the only source of the product.

"The award increases our backlog to in excess of $150 million and extends visibility on this program into 2017."

Kaman has provided the JPF to the USAF since 2002. It also provides the fuzes to 26 other countries.

The JPF allows the settings of a weapon to which they are attached to be programmed on wing in flight. It's used on USAF general purpose bombs -- and guided bombs that use JDAM or Paveway kits -- on U.S. aircraft such as the F-15, F-16, F-22, A-10, B-1, B-2, B-52 and the MQ-9 UAV.

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The fuzes will be produced at company facilities in Florida and Connecticut.

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