L3Harris Unveils Advanced Smart Bomb Systems to Boost F-16 Capabilities in Bahrain, Jordan, and Morocco

L3Harris Technologies unveiled a $29 million agreement today to supply advanced weapon release systems to three allied military forces located in the Middle East and North Africa, empowering pilots to increase the count of smart munitions their F-16 aircraft can transport.

The Bomb Release Unit (BRU)-57/A enables F-16s in the air defense units of Bahrain, Jordan, and Morocco to carry two smart weapons on each system rather than one, thereby enhancing munitions capacity. It supports both 500-pound and 1,000-pound guided armaments.

“Our release systems deliver enhanced offensive capabilities while granting commanders the flexibility to deploy the appropriate firepower for every operation,” stated Ed Zoiss, President, Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris. “These combat-proven systems ensure munitions superiority and empower mission leaders to deploy the accurate weapon at the perfect moment to the precise target.”

Customizable according to mission specifics, the release systems offer ground crews the adaptability to add or eliminate smart weapon capabilities on F-16s. Implementing two extra smart munitions on each F-16 allows commanders to minimize the number of aircraft required for a strike mission and provides extended time on station with fewer returns to base for rearmament.

The indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract encompasses an initial batch of 105 release systems. These systems commenced service for U.S., allied, and partner air forces in 1999, with over 1,100 units ordered as of now.