BOLT-117
Sign in to saveThe Texas Instruments BOLT-117 (BOmb, Laser Terminal-117), retrospectively redesignated as the GBU-1/B (Guided Bomb Unit) was the world's first laser-guided bomb (LGB). It consisted of a standard M117 bomb case with a KMU-342 laser guidance and control kit. This consisted of a gimballed laser seeker on the front of the bomb and tail and control fins to guide the bomb to the target. The latter used the bang-bang method of control where each control surface was either straight or fully deflected. This was inefficient aerodynamically, but reduced costs and minimized demands on the primitive onboa
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The Texas Instruments BOLT-117 (BOmb, Laser Terminal-117), retrospectively redesignated as the GBU-1/B (Guided Bomb Unit) was the world's first laser-guided bomb (LGB). It consisted of a standard M117 bomb case with a KMU-342 laser guidance and control kit. This consisted of a gimballed laser seeker on the front of the bomb and tail and control fins to guide the bomb to the target. The latter used the bang-bang method of control where each control surface was either straight or fully deflected. This was inefficient aerodynamically, but reduced costs and minimized demands on the primitive onboard electronics.
thumb|A 497th Combat Training Squadron|497th TFS F-4D with two BOLT-117s at [[Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, 1971.]]