KGGB (Korean GPS Guided Bomb)

KGGB (Korean GPS Guided Bomb Kit) is a medium-range air-to-surface guided weapon with extended range and accuracy with GPS guidance kit mounted on a conventional general bomb. The Korean GPS-Guided Bomb (KGGB), which was developed in 2012 and is being mass-produced, is a glide-type guided bomb in Korea. KGGB, which combines a body with deployable wings with an existing unguided bomb, enables precise and accurate attacks from a distance through excellent glide capability and a guidance method combining GPS and attitude sensing device, and improves the survivability and operational efficiency of loaded aircraft. In 2018, about 1,200 rounds are known to have been deployed.

A special secret is hidden in the wings of KGGB, which has a longer range than the US's representative GPS-guided bomb 'JDAMR'. The American JDAM does not have the huge gliding wings that spread out like the KGGB. Therefore the range is short. However, the JDAM-ER has a gigantic gliding wing that spreads out like the KGGB and has a range similar to that of the KGGB. Therefore, rather than calling KGGB "Korean-style JDAM," "Korean-style JDAM-ER" is a more accurate expression.

At the inside rear end of the wing of KGGB, there is a separate device. This device is a flaperon, a compound word of a flap and aileron that use lift force, which is the power of rising . The flap and auxiliary wing are located at the rear end of the wing and have a common feature that changes the shape of the wing cross-section. However, flaps change both sides downward to add lift, and auxiliary wings change both sides to face different directions so that the aircraft rolls like a pinwheel. The flaperon is a device that can perform the role of both a flap and an aileron.

In general, when an ordnance mounted on an aircraft wing is dropped, an explosion occurs inside the bolt that connects the armament mount and the ordnance. The resulting shockwave strongly pushes the armament and secures a certain distance from the wing. Even safely separated ordnance assumes an unstable posture that is randomly tilted due to the attitude of the aircraft or the influence of the surrounding air flow. For accurate guidance maneuvering, it is important to have a design that can maintain a stable initial posture immediately after separation. At this time, the control ability of the KGGB flaperon plays a role. Immediately after separation, recover to a stable posture by exercising the rotation ability in an unstable posture.

Guided bombs do not have a propulsion system, so they adjust their glide speed by changing altitude like a roller coaster. The flaperon increases lift as the nose rises to generate efficient elevation gain and deceleration, or decreases lift as the nose descends, resulting in efficient altitude descent and acceleration. In other words, KGGB can quickly adjust the altitude by controlling the nose, and through this, it is possible to adjust the glide speed. The flapperon's ability to control the nose is important because the optimum glide speed for flying far is different for each flight altitude.

Unlike conventional air vehicles with multiple complex controls, the KGGB integrates all of the directional control capabilities required for a guided bomb into a single flaperon. The flaperon's flight control ability allows it to turn and approach targets covered behind slopes that are impossible to reach with the parabolic trajectory of conventional bombs. The design of such a simple control device has the advantage of reducing weight and drag force that adversely affect the range and saving development and mass production costs.

By saving the mission plan data to PDU, Pilot Display Unit, and having the KGGB mounted on the aircraft, the survivability of both aircraft and pilot can be secured from the take-off to the point of returning to the base. KGGB can be operated with 5 types of fighters without modification of aircraft by using PDU. Unlike unguided bombs, which cannot be controlled after being dropped, glide-type guided bombs receive position and attitude information through satellite signals without the help of expensive missile propulsion devices, and can be guided and controlled toward the target.

KGGB is a 500-pounds caliber aerial bomb, equipped with a planning and correction module with folding wings, and satellite guidance system (GPS) unit. Discharge height of the bomb is from 3 to 12 kilometers, and the high-altitude flight range reaches 100-120 km. Claimed CEP is 5 meters at small distances, and 13 meters at maximum. During tests, practical range varied from 47 to 103 kilimeters, and the CEP – from 0.4 to 8 meters. KGGB has a special mode to engage targets located on the back slopes of the hills. According to the South Korean sources, KGGB exceeds the accuracy of the US JDAM bombs, which have CEP about 25 meters at long ranges (according to South Korean data). It also costs less – serial supplies of KGGB to the Air Force of South Korea cost 100 million won (about $85 thousand) per one bomb.

Guided aerial bomb KGGB (Korean GPS-Guided Bomb) was developed in 2007 under the auspices of the South Korean government’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD). The prime contractor for the development and serial production of bombs is LIG Nex1 company (which is a part of the LG Group). Tests of KGGB bombs were successfully completed by the end of 2012, and in 2013 LIG Nex1 started serial production of these bombs for the Air Force of South Korea. R&D costs amounted to more than 40 billion won (about $40 million).

Developed and produced since 2013 by LIG Nex1 (part of the LG group) planning and correction module KGGB (Korean GPS-Guided Bomb) for aerial bombs (standard 500 lb caliber). When dropped from high altitudes, the flight range reaches 100-120 km. It is known that the KGGB modules were also purchased by Saudi Arabia. First presented by LIG Nex1 (part of the LG group) a full-size mock-up of a promising aviation cruise missile made using stealth technologies. The missile, apparently, is being created "based on" the European KR KEPD 350 Taurus, purchased by the South Korean Air Force.

During the tests in South Korea, the integration of KGGB into the weapons systems of all five main types of South Korean Air Force combat aircraft was tested: Boeing F-15K, Lockheed Martin KF-16C/D, McDonnel Douglas F-4E, Northrop F-5E/F, and KAI FA-50. In April 2016 it was reported that a multirole fighter Boeing F-15S “Eagle” of the Air Force of Saudi Arabia performed the first successful practical drop of a guided 500-pound aerial bomb KGGB, purchased from South Korea. Saudi Arabia became the first known foreign purchaser of KGGB.