The JDAM is not a stand-alone weapon; rather it is a "bolt-on" guidance package that converts unguided gravity bombs into PGMs.

[6] The JDAM was meant to improve upon laser-guided bomb and imaging infrared technology, which can be hindered by bad ground and weather conditions.

Research, development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E) of an "adverse weather precision guided munition" began in 1992.

Honeywell, Interstate Electronics Corporation, Sverdrup Technology, and McDonnell Douglas were hired to help the USAF 46th Test Wing demonstrate the feasibility of a GPS weapon within one year.

The OCD program fitted a GBU-15 guided bomb with an INS/GPS guidance kit and on 10 February 1993, dropped the first INS/GPS weapon from an F-16 on a target 88,000 feet (27 km) downrange.

The original cost estimate was $40,000 each for the tail kits; however, after competitive bidding, contracts were signed with McDonnell Douglas (later Boeing) for delivery at $18,000 each.

In its most accurate mode, the JDAM system will provide a minimum weapon accuracy CEP of 16 feet (5 m) or less when a GPS signal is available.

Previous precision guided weapons relied on seekers using infrared, visual light, or a reflected laser spot to "see" the ground target.

[citation needed] Another important capability provided by GPS-based guidance is the ability to completely tailor a flight trajectory to meet criteria other than simply hitting a target.

This provides the ability to impact perpendicular to a target surface and minimize the angle of attack (maximizing penetration), detonate the warhead at the optimum angle to maximize the warhead effectiveness, or have the weapon fly into the target area from a different heading than the launch aircraft (decreasing the risk of detection of the aircraft).

The SF commander requested Close Air Support (CAS) to strike the Taliban positions in an effort to stop their advance.

[17][18] On 5 May 2023, during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, MSN reported that Russia was able to jam the GPS guidance system to cause JDAMs to miss their targets.

[19] On 6 June 2023, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) released a commentary by an electronic warfare (EW) expert on the jamming of JDAMs by Russian forces.

GPS signals are "very weak by the time they have travelled the 10,900 nautical miles (20,200 km) from the satellite to Earth", making them "easy to jam with comparatively little power".

However, according to one electronic warfare (EW) expert who spoke to RUSI, despite the mentioned steps to increase jamming resiliency, the "sheer brute force" of a powerful jamming signal can prevent the JDAM's global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver from obtaining the encrypted signal.

Russian forces may choose to respond by placing more jammers in order to deny a line of sight to the satellites that it requires.

[23] In December 2023, the WSJ report stated that US arms shipments to Israel since the start of the Israel–Hamas war included approximately 3,000 JDAMs.

The laser seeker is a cooperative development between Boeing's Defense, Space and Security unit and Israel's Elbit Systems.

[36] In September 2012, Boeing began full-rate production of Laser JDAM for US Navy and received a contract for more than 2,300 bomb kits.

[37] In November 2014, the U.S. Air Force began development of a version of the GBU-31 JDAM intended to track and attack sources of electronic warfare jamming directed to disrupt the munitions' guidance.

The Powered JDAM combines a 500 lb (230 kg) bomb with a wing kit and a propulsion module, giving it the range of more sophisticated missiles through a low-cost engine while being cheaper though not having a stealthy shape or the ability to conduct low-altitude flights.

Though less survivable, Powered JDAMs could be networked to provide a cheap standoff weapon to overwhelm air defense systems.

[45][46] In late February 2023, it was revealed that JDAM-ERs would be provided to the Ukrainian Air Force as part of an arms package during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Although Russian air defenses force Ukrainian aircraft to fly at extremely low levels, they could pop up and release the bombs on a lofted trajectory to glide toward a target.

Four 500 pound JDAMs were dropped on a high rise building in the Russian controlled part of the city, the aircraft used appear to be MiG-29s.

Both sides have destroyed high rise buildings in Bakhmut to prevent them from being used "as ammo dumps, fighting positions and observation posts.

Dropping of naval mines has historically been challenging, as the delivery aircraft has to fly low and slow, 500 ft (150 m) at 320 knots (370 mph; 590 km/h), making it vulnerable to hostile fire.

Enemy naval ports can be blockaded, and a defensive minefield quickly planted to protect areas threatened by amphibious assault.