Paveway IV

The Paveway IV is a dual-mode GPS/INS and laser-guided bomb that entered service with the Royal Navy in 2008. It consists of a guidance kit based on the Enhanced Paveway II Enhanced Computer Control Group (ECCG) integrated with a modified Mk 82 general-purpose bomb designed for increased penetration performance. The ECCG incorporates a Height of Burst (HOB) sensor for air burst fusing options and a SAASM-compliant GPS receiver. The system operates using Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) guidance or GPS, with terminal laser guidance available in either navigation mode. A penetrating version featuring a discarding shroud design was developed under the Selective Precision Effects At Range (Spear) Capability 1 program to provide bunker-busting capabilities intended to match the performance of heavier penetrating munitions.

The weapon is operated by the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy, and the Royal Saudi Air Force. Future operators include the Fleet Air Arm, the Qatar Air Force, and the Ukrainian Air Force. The first export sale was to Saudi Arabia, with the contract signed in 2013 following U.S. State Department authorization required for the use of American components.

Operational deployment began during Operation Herrick in Afghanistan. The system was subsequently used in Operation Ellamy in Libya and Operation Shader in Iraq and Syria. In 2015, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Saudi Air Force both conducted their first operational deployments of the weapon from Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. The munition has been used in the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen. In 2015, export licenses were briefly withheld before resuming following assurances regarding usage. In 2016, the United States government blocked a transfer of the weapon to Saudi Arabia due to concerns regarding targeting and civilian casualties. In 2024, Royal Air Force Typhoons used the system to strike Houthi targets in Yemen as part of a coalition operation.

Testing in 2015 included the first release of a non-U.S. munition from the F-35 Lightning II during trials in the United States. The weapon is a candidate for integration on the F-35 for use by both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.