$289.7M to Boeing, Raytheon for Small Diameter Bomb Phase II R&D

GBU-39: Gotcha.(click to see results) The Headquarters Air-To-Ground Munitions Systems Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, FL recently awarded two cost-plus fixed-fee R&D contracts under the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) Increment II, 42-month Risk Reduction Phase. The present generation SDB weapon has been surrounded by procurement controversies. SDB is designed to hit standing targets with GPS/INS accuracy and an outsize punch, given the small 250 pound size that allows aircraft and UAVs to carry far more weapons. Popular Mechanics notes that it’s part of a USAF drive to do more with less, a drive that includes “focused lethality munitions” as well as SDB. The objective of the SDB II program is to take the idea one step further, and create a version that can hit mobile or movable targets in all weather. SDB weapons already have in-flight maneuverability thanks to their pop-out wings; the challenge will be to add the necessary sensors and controls to perform this job without compromising the bomb’s effectiveness or weight. Weapons like Israel’s “Spice” bomb and recent JDAM tests indicate that this is very possible. So, what’s the plan? RAFAEL Spice(click to view full) The purpose of the Risk Reduction phase is to define […]