Less dependence on the USA: The smart bombs Israel wants to produce itself

The defense establishment is accelerating efforts to increase Israel's production independence in the field of munitions, after the war highlighted the extent of the dependence on supplies from the USA. The defense establishment and defense industries are preparing to open production lines for JDAM bombs for the Air Force for the first time in Israel - smart munitions that until today were produced for Israel in the USA. The move is intended to close gaps that have accumulated over years, replenish stocks, and reduce dependence on the Americans for one of the key components required for a prolonged war.

Behind the term 'smart bomb' hides a large family of munitions, which differ in weight, range, and the way they find the target. Some are guided by GPS, others by laser or camera, and there are those that allow the aircraft to release the munition from a great distance. The Air Force operates a mix of American and Israeli munitions, adapted for different targets and arenas.

The dumb bomb that becomes smart

One of the central munitions in the Air Force's arsenal is the American JDAM - and this is also the munition that they now intend to start producing in Israel. In fact, it is not a bomb in itself but a guidance kit that is fitted onto regular iron bombs from the Mk-80 family and turns them into precision munitions. The kit, produced by Boeing, includes an inertial navigation system and GPS and steering surfaces that allow the bomb to correct its path and navigate to the coordinate point defined for it. The advantage is the combination of a simple and relatively cheap bomb with the ability to hit precisely in any weather. The kits are adapted for bombs of various weights - from 500 to 2,000 pounds, almost a ton - and are accordingly used for attacking buildings, ammunition depots, headquarters, and fortified infrastructure.

Alongside the JDAM, the Air Force also operates the SDB - a small-diameter bomb weighing about 113 kg, whose wings open after release and allow it to glide to a great distance. Its dimensions allow the aircraft to carry more bombs per sortie and attack more targets, as well as use a smaller warhead when there is no need for heavy armament.

From laser to camera

Another way to lead a bomb to the target is by using a laser. American bombs from the Paveway family are equipped with a homing head that identifies the reflection of the laser beam from the target. An aircraft, another aerial vehicle, or ground forces mark the target, and the bomb corrects its path toward the illuminated point.

Alongside the American munitions, Israel has developed its own precision munitions. One of the prominent families is SPICE by Rafael, which relies, among other things, on electro-optical homing: before the mission, an image of the target is fed into the munition, and during the flight, its camera scans the area and compares what it sees to the image in the memory. Thus, it is able to identify the target and navigate to it even when GPS reception is jammed or unavailable.

Attacking without entering the range of air defense

In view of the air defense arrays intended to limit the Air Force's freedom of action, Stand-Off munitions are also used - munitions that are launched from a distance and allow the aircraft to reduce exposure to the enemy's air defense systems. One of the Israeli munitions of this type is Rampage, developed by IAI and Elbit. This is a fast and long-range air-to-ground missile, which allows attacking high-quality targets in depth without the launching aircraft needing to approach them. It is intended, among other things, for hitting headquarters, infrastructure, and radar systems.

In Israel, concrete-piercing munitions from the MPR family by Elbit are also produced, intended for attacking fortified buildings, and electro-optical missiles from the Spike family by Rafael. The Spike NLOS version, also known in Israel as Tamuz, allows hitting targets that are not in the direct line of sight of the launcher.

The dependence that endangered soldiers on the battlefield

The need to increase munitions independence was not born in the war. In a report published by the State Comptroller in May, it was determined that within two decades Israel lost capabilities for producing raw materials used for weapons, partly due to the preference for cheap purchases from abroad over preserving local production lines. According to the Comptroller, the dependence that was created on foreign countries limited Israel's freedom of action during the war and even endangered soldiers on the battlefield. It was also found that on the eve of October 7, stocks of certain weapons were lower than the target, and that a decision from 2021 to double production lines and infrastructure for certain weapons was not budgeted at all. Restoring the lost capabilities, the Comptroller warned, will require significant financial investments and a long time.

Despite the advanced capabilities of the defense industries in Israel, a significant part of the mass of the Air Force's heavy munitions still relies on American production. A significant part of the procurement is financed through American aid funds. In an intense and prolonged war, the Air Force consumes large quantities of munitions in short periods of time, and therefore Israel depends not only on stocks it purchased in advance but also on additional supplies from the USA. This dependence also has political significance: the American administration has the ability to delay or stop shipments. Israel has already been exposed to this in 2024, when the Biden administration delayed a shipment of heavy bombs against the backdrop of the dispute over the operation in Rafah.