Overview
- The U.S. Air Force issued a $75 million undefinitized contract action to Boeing to begin initial production of the GBU-75, a powered long‑range variant of the 500‑lb JDAM intended for Navy deliveries.
- The GBU-75 pairs a wing kit and a compact turbojet engine, the Kratos TDI‑J85, to extend a JDAM’s standoff to well over 300 nautical miles and keep guidance on the existing JDAM GPS system.
- The design completed Navy flight tests in April 2026 off Point Mugu that showed clean separation, engine start, sustained powered flight and accuracy on roughly 200‑nm profiles.
- The contract’s undefinitized structure means Boeing began production before final price and quantities were fixed, a practice the Government Accountability Office has warned can increase financial and disclosure risk.
- Boeing says it invested about $100 million of its own money to develop the kit and plans variants such as QuickStrike Long Range for ship‑targeting and aerial mining as a lower‑cost complement to cruise missiles.