AGM-154B Joint Standoff Weapon [JSOW] JSOW-B

The JSOW BLU-108 (AGM-154B) variant incorporates the Sensor Fuze Weapon submunition (BLU-108) into the baseline vehicle. JSOW uses a common vehicle (truck) to deliver three different payloads. JSOW/A uses 145 BLU-97 Combined Effects Munitions for soft and area targets, JSOW/B uses 6 BLU-108 submunitions for attacking massed /mobile land-combat vehicles, and JSOW/C has a unitary BROACH warhead for harder/point targets (AF is not buying JSOW/C).

As of mid-2001 JSOW/A was in Full Rate Production (FRP) and JSOW/B was in Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP). Both are purchased concurrently on the same JSOW contract. The current program was based on an USN buy of 13,000 (8,800 As, 1,200 Bs, 3,000 Cs) and an AF buy of 6,114 (3,000 As / 3,114 Bs).

In 2002, the Joint Requirements Oversight Council deferred production of an antiarmor JSOW variant (JSOW B). By October 2002 the Air Force cancelled purchase of more than 3,000 of the JSOW-B due to technical problems and cost overruns. Planned production of the JSOW/BLU-108 was deferred in the POM-04 budget. The Navy conducted IOT&E in FY 2003 to verify operational effectiveness and suitability.

The FY '03 budget request contained no funds in PE 64600F for munitions dispenser development. The Air Force terminated the Joint Stand Off Weapon B variant dispenser weapon, which cost $375,000 each, in October 2003 due to technical delays and cost increases. Accordingly, the Air Force Chief of Staff identified a $16.2 million fiscal year 2003 unfunded requirement to extend the range of the unpowered wind corrected munitions dispenser (WCMD) by developing a deployable wing system for the WCMD, which would enable the weapon to glide for an extended range (ER). The House Armed Services committee noted the effective use of the gravity fall WCMD in Operation Enduring Freedom and believes a WCMD-ER enhancement would provide an additional stand off weapon capability within the Air Force's war reserve munition stock, and, recommends $16.2 million in PE 64600F for development of the WCMD-ER.

Planned production of the JSOW/BLU-108 is deferred pending a change in the threat.