From advanced electronic warfare in the skies to search and rescue robots on the ground, the modern theater of war is increasingly complex and ever-evolving. However, when it comes to maritime warfare, the US military is putting a new twist on a simple yet effective, old-school tactic - dropping bombs from above. What is QUICKSINK? The Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), in partnership with the US Navy, has been developing a Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) program called QUICKSINK.
This program is designed to integrate a multi-mode radar/infrared seeker with the US military's existing Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM). JDAMs incorporate a tail kit modification that provides guidance via inertial navigational and GPS systems, turning free-falling warheads such as the 2,000 lb BLU-109/MK 84, the 1,000 lb BLU-110/MK 83, or the 500 lb BLU-111/MK 82, into "smart bombs." When armed with the tail kit mod, as pictured below, the munitions are given a Guided Bomb Unit nomenclature GBU-31/32/38.
According to the USAF : Once released from the aircraft, the JDAM autonomously navigates to the designated target coordinates. Target coordinates can be loaded into the aircraft before takeoff, manually altered by the aircrew before weapon release, or automatically entered through target designation with onboard aircraft sensors. In its most accurate mode, the JDAM system will provide a weapon circular error probable of 5 meters or less during free flight when GPS data is availabl.