UAE Requires 1000 GBU-31s and 600 GBU-12s

The United Arab Emirates has requested a possible sale of 500 GBU-31B/B(V)1 (MK-84/BLU-117) bombs, 500 GBU-31B/B(V)3 (BLU-109) bombs, and 600 GBU-12 (MK-82/BLU-111) bombs, containers, fuzes, spare and repair parts. The estimated cost is $130 million.
The principal contractors will be Boeing and Raytheon.

First image of F-35C carrying full load of weapons (externally)

"On Jan. 13, RAF Squadron Ldr. Andy Edgell flew first F-35C, the U.S. Navy’s carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, with external GBU-12s, AIM-9Xs air-to-air missiles and the centerline gun pod.
Obviously, a radar-evading plane loses some of its stealthiness with such an external payload…
Image credit: Andy Wolfe via Lockheed Martin"
theaviationist

F-35 Weapons Tests in 2014 Focus On Amraam

With weapons testing becoming a more regular event for the F-35 program, developers are looking ahead to a fast pace of trials this year to prepare for the first operational use of the stealthy, single-engine fighter by the U.S. Marine Corps in 2015.
Delivering weapons is often described as the “business end” of a fighter's job, and the Marines are planning to declare initial operational capability (IOC) for the F-35B using the aircraft's 2B software release as early as July 2015, and no later than December 2015. Though limited to use of three weapons—the 1,000-lb. GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), GBU-12 500-lb. Laser-Guided Bomb and Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (Amraam) AIM-120 series—the F-35B will surpass the current capability of the AV-8B Harrier jump jet and F/A-18C twin-engine Hornets.
aviationweek

Romania – Weapons, Equipment, and Support for F-16 Block 15 MLU Aircraft

The Government of Romania has requested a possible sale of weapons, equipment, and support for 12 F-16 MLU Block 15 aircraft that will be procured through a third party transfer from Portugal. Articles and services will include:

• 13 Embedded Global Positioning Systems/Inertial Navigation Systems (EGPS/INS) with GPS Security Devices, Airborne
• 3 AN/ALQ-131 Electronic Countermeasure Pods
• 30 AIM-120C Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM)
• 5 AIM-120C Captive Air Training Missiles (CATMs)
• 60 AIM-9M Sidewinder Missiles
• 4 AIM-9M CATMs
• 48 LAU-129 Launchers
• 10 GBU-12 Enhanced Guided Bomb Units
• 18 AGM-65H/KB Maverick Missiles
• 4 AGM-65 CATMs
• 15 Multifunctional Information Distribution System/Low Volume Terminals
• 2 Multifunctional Information Distribution System Ground Support Systems

Also included are spare and repair parts, support equipment, tanker support, ferry services, repair and return services, software development/integration, test and equipment, supply support, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, U.S. Government and contractor technical services, and other related elements of logistics and program support.
The proposed sale will support the Romanian Air Force’s (RoAF) efforts to equip and utilize the 12 F-16 aircraft it is procuring from Portugal.
dsca

F-35B Lightning II Completes First Guided Weapon Delivery Against Ground Target

An F-35B short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) fighter aircraft, successfully employed a Guided Bomb Unit-12 (GBU-12) Paveway II laser-guided weapon from the F-35's internal weapons bay against a fixed ground tank test target yesterday.
f35.com

France to embark on Atlantique 2 upgrade

Thales and Dassault Aviation expect to begin work in the coming weeks on a long-planned upgrade to France’s Atlantique 2 (ATL 2) maritime patrol aircraft. The patroller is supporting combat missions in Mali, providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and close-air support with Paveway II laser-guided bombs.
France modified a number of ATL 2 aircraft earlier this year to deliver GBU-12 bombs using target designators onboard French Harfang UAVs, on fighter aircraft and on the ground. In April, the French Defense Ministry listed ATL 2 modernization as a top priority in the nation’s new defense and security strategy, ahead of a forthcoming multiyear spending plan expected to be issued this summer.
Amy Svitak-aviationweek