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June 18, 2004
JDAM
JDAM is short for Joint Direct Attack Munition. These are the bombs that are dropped from B52s and other planes while a team of special forces on the ground "paints" a target with a laser.
The JDAM literally steers itself towards the target while it aims for the laser's light.
Imagine you are a bad guy. Perhaps one of the Taliban remnants who still think they have a chance in Afghanistan. You are high in the mountains hiding from the infidel American soldiers. It is time for prayers. Allah has been good. He has provided a small clearing that faces towards Mecca. It is much better than the cave you spent all of yesterday in.
Meanwhile, as you are kneeling to pray, someone is watching you from a mile away and 500 feet above. As he notices everyone else in your group kneel to pray, he instructs the man next to him with the laser to point it at the donkey. This unfortunate beast of burden happens to be carrying a reflective metal box of ammunition...
Fifty thousand feet above, a B52 releases a 2000 pound JDAM. It immediately sees the laser light below and begins to steer itself towards the light as it falls.
Back at the clearing, you are just finishing your prayers when you realize you need to reload your AK-47. The last time you were ambushed you had no ammunition. You walk over to the donkey with the ammunition box on its back, but before you get there...
Something like this happens.
As two members of the Ranger team descend and approach the clearing, all they can see is a huge hole, similar to this one.
Posted by Phil at June 18, 2004 09:29 AM
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