The Paveway 4 weapon system completed all evaluation activities, clearing it to enter service with the U.K. Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Harrier GR9 aircraft, Raytheon Co. [RTN] reported.

Following demonstration of capability trials at the U.S. Navy Air Warfare Center at China Lake, Calif., the U.K. Ministry of Defence accepted the weapon system into operational service.

Paveway 4 is being integrated onto all U.K. fixed-wing strike platforms including the Tornado GR4, Eurofighter Typhoon and the Joint Combat Aircraft.

The Paveway 4 weapon system provides a low-cost, day-or-night, all-weather, general purpose precision bombing capability. Compared with standard 500-pound class weapons, the enhanced capabilities of Paveway IV include: insensitive munition warhead with increased penetration; cockpit selectable terminal fuzing with air burst and post impact delay; highly reliable second environment sensing via unique arming maneuver; delayed arming to minimize collateral damage; and GPS anti-jam resistance via inertial-only guidance mode.