A laser-guided bomb (LGB) is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser guidance to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. First developed by the United States during the Vietnam War, laser-guided bombs quickly proved their value in precision strikes of difficult point targets. These weapons use on-board electronics to track targets that are designated by laser, typically in the infrared spectrum, and adjust their glide path to accurately strike the target. Since the weapon is tracking a light signature, not the object itself, the target must be illuminated from a separate source, either by ground forces, by a pod on the attacking aircraft, or by a separate support aircraft.
A GBU-10 shortly before it strikes a small boat during a training exercise
A guided bomb is a precision-guided munition designed to achieve a smaller circular error probable (CEP).
BOLT-117, the world's first laser-guided bomb
A laser-guided GBU-24 (BLU-109 warhead variant) strikes its target.
GBU-10 shortly before it impacts a small boat during a training exercise
An F-22 releases a JDAM from its center internal bay while flying at supersonic speed