Raytheon completes Small Diameter Bomb II developmental testing.

Raytheon Company has completed developmental testing on the Small Diameter Bomb II, a key step toward bringing this new capability to fighter pilots. Government confidence testing, a prerequisite for operational testing, is scheduled to be completed this year, the US company said on April 19.

Raytheon’s SDB II
(Credit: Raytheon)

Raytheon has also begun work on the SDB II second production lot after completing delivery of Lot 1 in 2017.

The weapon gives pilots the ability to destroy moving targets on the battlefield. Its seeker detects, classifies, tracks and destroys targets, even in adverse weather conditions from standoff ranges.

"We call SDB II a game changer because the weapon doesn't just hit GPS coordinates; it finds and engages targets," said Mike Jarrett, Raytheon Air Warfare Systems vice president. "SDB II can eliminate a wider range of targets with fewer aircraft, reducing the pilot's time in harm's way."

During developmental testing, pilots dropped 44 SDB II bombs and tested them in all modes of operation. The weapon destroyed maneuvering targets in adverse weather and demonstrated third-party control through a datalink. It also chose the correct target from among decoys and proved compatibility with the F-15E Strike Eagle.

Early SDB II integration work has begun on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.