GBU-10, 12, 16, and 24

U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman Milosz Reterski. (040105-N-9742R-001)

The GBU (guided bomb unit) are bombs from the Mk-80s series with an attached seeker unit and fin (control) unit converting them into guided precision bombs, and in the case of the GBU-10, 12, 16, and 24 carried by the F-14, laser-guided bombs to be more precise.

When the F-14B gained the ability to mount and use the LANTIRN pod, it was also cleared to carry some of the GBU variants of the Mk-80 series bombs. It can either deliver them onto designation from a self-carried LANTIRN pod or onto a laser designation from another aircraft or ground source.

The GBUs carried are mounted on the Phoenix rails themselves on stations 3-6 as the additional size of a GBU compared to a normal Mk-80 series bomb makes it impossible to use the substations on the rails for those. Each station is capable of carrying one GBU up to the size of the GBU-16. As for the GBU-10 and 24, the 10 can be carried on the front rails (3 and 6) and the 24 on one front rail and one back rail as they need to be carried on opposite sides of the aircraft due to the larger wing assembly.

Note: GBU laser codes are set as per DCS Mission Editor Functions Specific to the HB DCS F-14 or via the kneeboard.