A Navy F/A-18 fighter aircraft carries the new long-range version of the Joint Direct Attack Munition during a test event off the coast of California in early April 2026. The successful launch marked a milestone for the weapon, which could extend the strike range of carrier-based aircraft, according to Navy officials. (Naval Air Warfare Center)
The U.S. Navy succeeded in its test launch of a new long-range version of the Joint Direct Attack Munition, marking a milestone for a weapon that could allow carrier-based aircraft to strike targets from greater range.
The early April demonstration of the JDAM long-range variant involved two Navy F/A-18 fighters, which carried the munitions during two test events, the Navy said.
The weapon safely separated from the aircraft each time and used existing interfaces and navigation, the Navy said. Each demonstration covered 200 nautical miles while maintaining consistent guidance directly to its target, it added.
“The program recognizes a critical need to provide the fleet with greater standoff range,” Capt. Sarah Abbott, precision strike weapons program manager, said in a statement. “This new capability allows pilots to engage targets from significantly safer distances, maintaining a tactical advantage in contested environments.”
Existing JDAM systems have been put to heavy use during the American bombing campaign in Iran, adding pressure on U.S. supplies of precision-guided weapons.
A Navy F/A-18 fighter aircraft carries the new long-range variant of the Joint Direct Attack Munition during a test event off the coast of California in early April 2026. The new weapon could help pilots maintain a tactical advantage in contested environments by allowing them to engage from safer distances, according to a Navy official. (Naval Air Warfare Center)
With the successful demonstrations, the new JDAM variant now moves on to the next qualification phase, with a focus on shipboard integration, the Navy said.
The timeline for fielding the munition has not been publicly detailed, but the Navy has stressed the priority of the weapon as it seeks to expand its options for striking targets at distance.
“The program remains committed to bringing this high-priority strike capability to the fleet to meet the evolving demands of modern naval warfare,” the Navy said.
