The long war prompted Israel to reconsider the extent of its dependence on the United States in the field of munitions, after the ongoing military operations revealed the sensitivity of foreign supplies to the Air Force, which prompted the security establishment and defense industries to prepare to expand local production, leading to opening lines for the first time inside Israel to produce JDAM precision munitions.
According to a report by journalist Eitam Almadon on the Israeli “N12” channel, and based on what was revealed by military commentator Nir Dvori, the Israeli security establishment and defense industries are working to prepare to open local production lines for JDAM bombs designated for the Air Force, after these munitions were produced for Israel until now in the United States.
The step aims to address gaps that have accumulated over years, replenish stocks, and reduce dependence on the Americans for one of the basic components required to fight a long-term war.
The term “smart bomb” includes a wide range of munitions that differ in their weight, range, and the method they use to reach the target. Some of them rely on GPS systems, others on lasers or cameras, while other types allow the aircraft to fire ammunition from long distances.
The Israeli Air Force uses a mix of American and Israeli munitions designed to deal with different targets and arenas.
The American JDAM is one of the main munitions in the Israeli Air Force arsenal, and it is specifically the munition that Israel is currently preparing to begin producing locally.
JDAM is not a stand-alone bomb itself, but rather a guidance kit that is installed on regular iron bombs from the Mk-80 family to convert them into precision munitions.
The kit, produced by Boeing, includes an inertial navigation system and a GPS system, as well as control surfaces that allow the bomb to correct its course and head towards its specified coordinates.
Its advantage lies in the combination of a simple, relatively low-cost bomb with accurate hitting capability in all weather conditions.
These kits fit bombs of different weights, starting from 500 pounds and up to 2,000 pounds, or nearly a ton, and are accordingly used to target buildings, weapons depots, command centers and fortified infrastructure.
In addition to the JDAM, the Israeli Air Force also uses a small-diameter SDB bomb, which weighs about 113 kilograms, and its wings open after launch, allowing it to glide over long distances.
The dimensions of this bomb allow the aircraft to carry a larger number of munitions during one sortie and hit a larger number of targets. It also allows the use of a smaller warhead when heavy ammunition is not needed.
Lasers are also used as a means of directing bombs towards their targets, as the American bombs from the Paveway family are equipped with a guidance head that monitors the reflection of the laser beam from the target.
An aircraft, other air means, or ground force illuminates the target, so the bomb corrects its course and heads toward the specified point.
In parallel with American munitions, Israel has developed its own precision munitions, including the SPICE family produced by Rafael, which relies, among other means, on electro-optical guidance.
Before the mission, an image of the target is loaded into the munition, and during its flight the camera scans the area and compares what it sees with the image stored in its memory.
This technology allows the ammunition to identify the target and head towards it even if the GPS system is jammed or unavailable.
In the face of air defense systems that aim to limit the freedom of movement of the air force, Israel also uses Stand-Off munitions, which are fired from long distances and allow aircraft to reduce their exposure to enemy air defense systems.
The most prominent of these Israeli munitions is the Rampage missile, which was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Company.
It is a fast, long-range air-to-surface missile that allows hitting specific targets at depth without the aircraft launching it needing to approach them. It is intended, among other goals, to strike command centers, infrastructure, and radar systems.
Israel also produces concrete-piercing munitions from the MPR family of Elbit, which are designed to target fortified facilities, in addition to electro-optical missiles from the Spike family produced by Rafael.
The Spike NLOS version, also known in Israel as “Tammuz,” allows hitting targets that are not within the direct line of sight of the launch pad.
The need for greater independence in the area of munitions is not due only to the current war.
In a report published by the State Comptroller in May, it concluded that over two decades Israel had lost the ability to produce raw materials used in the manufacture of weapons, as a result of factors including the preference to buy cheaper products from abroad rather than maintain local production lines.
According to the report, the dependence that arose on foreign countries limited Israel’s freedom of movement during the war, and even exposed soldiers to danger on the battlefield.
It also became clear that the stocks of some types of weapons on the eve of October 7 were below the target level, and that a decision issued in 2021 to double the production lines and infrastructure for one type of weapons did not obtain the required funding in the first place.
The State Comptroller warned that restoring the capabilities that Israel lost would require “large financial investments and a long time.”
Despite the advanced capabilities of the Israeli defense industry, a large portion of the main mass of heavy munitions used by the Air Force still depends on American production, while a large portion of purchases is financed with American aid funds.
In a long, intense war, the Air Force consumes large quantities of munitions over short periods of time, making Israel dependent not only on stocks it has purchased in advance, but also on additional supplies coming from the United States.
This reliance also carries a political dimension, as the US administration has the ability to delay or stop arms shipments.
Israel previously experienced this reality in 2024, when the administration of former US President Joe Biden delayed a shipment of heavy bombs due to the dispute over the operation in Rafah.
The plan to produce JDAM locally reveals that Israel is not only seeking to increase its stock of ammunition, but also to reduce one of the most prominent areas of its operational and political dependence on Washington, especially in long war scenarios that require a continuous and heavy flow of weapons.
