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Air Force

U.S. Air Force Testing Dialable Effects Munition This Year

Frank Wolfe

Friday, January 29th, 2021

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U.S. Air Force Testing Dialable Effects Munition This Year

Four Collaborative Small Diameter Bombs hang from the wing of an F-16 Fighting Falcon from the Air Force Test Center’s 96th Test Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., in November, 2020. (U.S. Air Force Photo)

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is conducting a Joint Concept Technology Demonstration (JCTD) with the Navy on an AFRL-developed Dialable Effects Munition (DEM) that would allow pilots to dial up or down a munition's power before weapons release--for example "wide area effects" for a truck convoy with no civilians present or a narrow effect in which there is a significant risk of civilian casualties. While the JCTD began in 2018, demonstrations appear to be ramping up this year. "We…

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