The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has demonstrated the ability of air-dropped bombs to sink ships at lower cost with the effectiveness of a submarine-launched torpedo.

The sinking of a ship with double skin and watertight compartments, especially a large one, not only leaves explosives on the deck, but also places the cargo where it can cause the greatest damage with a single shot.

Therefore, a heavy torpedo launched from a submarine was chosen as an anti-ship weapon. Ideally, the “delicious piece” is the point directly below the spine, albeit at a short distance from the body. When the torpedo reaches this point, a magnetic, timer, or remote-controlled detonator activates the charge and creates a shock wave that pierces the rear of the ship and sends it to the bottom.

The downside is that submarines are not always available on demand and each launch costs $1.2 million to test a potentially more cost-effective and flexible alternative based on the JDAM system.

Simply put, JDAM is a kit that turns an unguided “blind” gravity bomb into a guided high-precision munition. It consists of a collar that wraps around the main body of the bomb and a tail for guidance using GPS and inertial guidance system.