| LS | |
|---|---|
 A model of the LS-6 (right) on display at the Farnborough International Airshow 2010 along with aJF-17 Thunder | |
| Type | Precision-guided munition, glide bomb |
| Place of origin |  China |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2006—present |
| Used by |  People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Luoyang Optoelectro Technology Development Center |
| Produced | 2006—present |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 50 kg, 100 kg, 250 kg, 500 kg |
| Warhead | Variousgravity bombs |
Detonation mechanism | Impact or Proximity |
| Maximum speed | Free-fall |
Guidance system | INS withGNSS/laser guidance/scene matching area correlator |
Launch platform | Aircraft |
Lei Shi (Chinese:雷石;pinyin:Léi shí;lit. 'Thunder Stone'), abbreviated asLS, is a series ofprecision-guided munitions (PGM) developed by Luoyang Optoelectro Technology Development Center (LOTDC),[1][2] a subsidiary ofAviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). Leishi is a type of guidance kit that can modify existingunguided bomb into guidedstandoff munition. These maneuverable guided bombs are similar in roles to the AmericanJoint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kit but with longer ranges.
The Chinese development of the precision-guided bomb began in the 1970s after the Chinese military observed the American usage ofPaveway in theVietnam War. Factory 624, later known as the Harbin Jiancheng Group, a subsidiary ofNorinco, began the development process in 1974, with prototypes completed in 1980. Between 1984 and 1985, the guided bomb was tested via ground laser designation, while in 1986, the bomb was tested with an aerial lasertargeting pod prototype. Prototypes were tested on theH-5 bomber. The project was canceled in the late 1980s due to budgetary issues.[3] The prototype guided bomb in the canceled project was designated Type 7712.[4]
A new laser-guided bomb project was initiated in 1992 after Chinese observation of theGulf War. This project received more budgetary, human, and political resources. The bomb system was tasked to the Luoyang-based China Airborne Missile Academy (CAMA, 612th Research Institute), and thetargeting pod was tasked to the Luoyang Optoelectro Technology Development Center (LOTDC, 613th Research Institute), and the production was tasked to the Factory 624 (Harbin Jiancheng Group). The final product was LS-500J laser-guided bomb, later renamed LT-2 laser-guided bomb for export.[3] LS-500J (LT-2) was one of the most widely used guided bombs in China's arsenal.[3][5]
Eventually, the original LS-500J branched out to the other series of guided bombs,[3] which were manufactured by different defense factories and institutions:[6]
LS-6 precision-guided bomb was initially revealed at the 2006Zhuhai Airshow.[15][16]
LS kit is a strap-on upgrade package to providegeneral-purpose bomb with range extension and precision strike capabilities.[17] The kit consists of two modules: the guidance module and gliding wings. The guidance module includes inertial/satellite guidance, typically mounted in the tail cone of the weapon, and electro-optical seeker with scene matching area correlator[18] orlaser guidance seeker, which is mounted at the tip of the bomb.[17] The gliding module, including the folding wings and cruciform tail control surfaces, is made of composite material and comes in different versions for different sizes ofgravity bomb, such as 500 kg (1,100 lb), 250 kg (550 lb), 100 kg (220 lb), and 50 kg (110 lb).[17] The range for the 500 kg (1,100 lb) bomb is 60 km (37 mi) at 900 km/h (490 kn) with release attitude of 11 km (36,000 ft).[18] A miniaturizedturbojet kit can be mounted at the aft end, boosting LS-6's range to 300 km (190 mi; 160 nmi).[19]
LS kit series uses the GJV289A standard, the Chinese equivalent ofMIL-STD-1553B. The adaptation of such military standards means that the weapon can be readily deployed on any Western platform. The 100 kg (220 lb) and 50 kg (110 lb) variants of the LS-6 are externally similar to theGBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, which can be carried in the internal weapons bays of stealth fighters such as theChengdu J-20.[20]
| LS-6/500 | |
|---|---|
| Launch mass | Approx. 540 kg (1,190 lb) |
| Warhead | 440 kg (970 lb) HE Blast |
| Length | Approx. 3.5 m (11 ft) |
| Diameter | 0.377 m (1.24 ft) |
| Span | Approx. 2.5 m (8.2 ft) |
| Range | 40 km (22 nmi) at 8 km (26,000 ft) 65 km (35 nmi) at 11 km (36,000 ft) |
| Release altitude | 4–11 km (13,000–36,000 ft) |
| Release speed | 600–1,000 km/h (320–540 kn) |
| Steering | Cruciform trailing edges + folded high-wing |
| Guidance | GNSS + INS |
| Accuracy (CEP) | ≤15m |
China:People's Liberation Army
Serbia:Serbian Air Force
Pakistan:Pakistan Air Force
Bangladesh:Bangladesh Air Force