Raytheon re-introduces 250-pound Paveway precision-guided munition

Posted by Courtney E. Howard

PARIS, 20 June 2011. Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN) is re-introducing to the warfighter inventory its 250-pound Paveway laser-guided precision munition, a combat-proven kit that transforms "dumb" bombs into precision guided weapons, or “smart” bombs. The 250-pound weapon, designated the GBU-58, is being tested on the Hawker-Beechcraft AT-6 and other counter-insurgency aircraft.

GBU-58 is integrated on the Super Entendard and the Mirage 3. The Paveway family of weapons is employed on more than 17 aircraft in 42 countries; Raytheon has delivered more than 350,000 of the systems.

"Warfighters around the world have asked for smaller precision-guided munitions to reduce collateral damage, and the GBU-58 is Raytheon's solution because it has unmatched standoff capability and flexible warhead options," says Harry Schulte, vice president of Raytheon Missile Systems' Air Warfare Systems product line.