US approves military sales to Italy for AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM missiles & SDB II Small Diameter Bombs.

On February 15, 2024, the United States approved two Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Italy. The first includes a package of AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and associated equipment, estimated at $69.3 million. The second involves the procurement of Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II), or GBU-53/B, along with related equipment, totaling an estimated cost of $150 million.
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The total value of these two Foreign Military Sales, comprising AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM missiles and SDB II Small Diameter Bombs, approaches nearly $220 million. (Picture source: US DoD and USAF)

The first FMS to Italy, which comprises AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and related equipment, is valued at $69.3 million. This sale is an extension of a previous FMS case valued at $32.5 million. Italy's request includes an additional twelve AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM missiles, increasing their total to twenty-four. This package also includes support elements such as Common Munitions Built-in-Test/Reprogramming Equipment (ADU-891/E), AMRAAM containers, various support and integration equipment, spare parts, and logistical services.

The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) is an American beyond-visual-range missile equipped with active transmit-receive radar guidance, allowing it to operate in all weather conditions, both day and night. It is designed to replace older semi-active radar guidance systems. The AMRAAM has been utilized in various conflicts, achieving 16 confirmed air-to-air kills.

The AMRAAM missile, with a production history from 1991 to the present, is equipped with a solid-fuel rocket motor and active radar homing for engagements beyond visual range. Compatible with multiple fighter aircraft platforms, the AMRAAM weighs 161.5 kg, features a high explosive blast-fragmentation warhead, can speed up to Mach 4, and has a range of up to 105 km for the AIM-120D variant.

The missile's development has led to four main variants, each introducing specific improvements such as extended range, enhanced guidance systems, and modified physical dimensions for compatibility with newer aircraft. The AIM-120A, now out of production, shared enlarged wings and fins with its successor, the AIM-120B. The AIM-120C was designed with smaller fins for compatibility with stealth aircraft like the F-22 Raptor. The AIM-120D offers a 50% extended range and improved guidance, resulting in an improved kill probability (Pk).

Introduced in 1996, the AIM-120C variant has undergone successive upgrades, improving its fuse mechanisms and homing capabilities. These modifications have facilitated its adoption on newer aircraft, such as the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, demonstrating its role in maintaining operational capabilities with the phasing out of older missile systems like the AIM-54 Phoenix.

The AIM-120C deliveries began in 1996. The C-variant has been steadily upgraded since its introduction. The AIM-120C-6 contained an improved fuze (Target Detection Device) compared to its predecessor. The AIM-120C-7, which began development in 1998, included enhancements in homing and increased range (the exact amount unspecified). It was successfully tested in 2003 and is currently in production for both domestic and foreign customers. This version helped the U.S. Navy transition from the F-14 Tomcats to F/A-18E/F Super Hornets – compensating for the loss of the F-14's long-range AIM-54 Phoenix missiles (already retired) with a longer-range AMRAAM-D. The enhanced AMRAAM's lighter weight allows a F/A-18E/F pilot to have a greater bring-back weight upon carrier landings.

The AIM-120C-8, also known as the export variant of the AIM-120D-3, retains the same solid-propellant rocket motor as seen in the AIM-120C-5 and C-7 variants. The AIM-120C-8 introduces enhancements such as an expanded no-escape envelope and improved high-angle off-boresight capabilities compared to previous versions. Developed as part of Raytheon’s Form, Fit, Function, Refresh (F3R) program, the AIM-120C-8 is designed for compatibility with existing air combat systems and aims to update operational capabilities for forces using it. The AIM-120C-8 incorporates a GPS satellite navigation system receiver and a two-way data transmission line, significantly extending the missile's launch range. Notably, the launch range of the AIM-120C-8 has increased by approximately 50% over the AIM-120C-7, reaching up to 180 km.

The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) has a range of up to 105 km for the AIM-120D variant. (Picture source: RTX)

Parallel to this, on the same day, the US State Department approved another potential FMS to Italy, involving the Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) and associated equipment, with an estimated cost of $150 million. The specifics of Italy's request include the acquisition of 125 Guided Bomb Unit (GBU)-53/B Small Diameter Bombs-Increment II (SDB-II) All-Up-Rounds (AURs) and eight GBU-53/B SDB-II Captive Carry Reliability Tests (CCRTs), supplementing a previously established case below the congressional notification threshold.

The initial FMS case, valued at $22.5 million, involved 24 GBU-53/B SDB-II AURs and four GBU-53/B SDB-II CCRTs. Additionally, Italy has requested a new FMS case for another 24 GBU-53/B SDB-II AURs and two GBU-53/B SDB-II CCRTs, totaling 173 GBU-53/B SDB-II AURs and 14 CCRTs.

The GBU-53/B StormBreaker, known as the Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDB II), is an air-launched glide bomb developed by Raytheon Company. This weapon system is a collaborative effort between the United States Air Force (USAF) and Navy, with the USAF designated as the lead service. Supplied as an "All Up Round," the SDB II is delivered fully assembled, with only minor components such as wings and fins needing attachment for deployment.

The initiative behind the SDB II, initiated in 2006, aimed to create a 250-pound class bomb capable of accurately engaging mobile targets in adverse weather conditions. The goal is to equip military personnel with a weapon allowing them to hit targets safely from a distance.

The bomb has been integrated into various aircraft platforms, with the F-15E Strike Eagle serving as the primary aircraft for the USAF and the F-35B and F-35C variants for the Navy. Other aircraft, including the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and several bombers and gunships, are also under consideration for SDB II integration, emphasizing the bomb's versatility.

Equipped with multiple target acquisition modes, such as millimeter-wave radar, infrared homing, and semi-active laser homing, the SDB II can track and engage a variety of targets. Its guidance system employs GPS/INS for initial direction, with mid-course corrections possible via Link 16 over the UHF data link. The bomb carries a shaped charge warhead effective against multiple target types and is designed to be compatible with existing munitions carriage systems. It integrates with the Common Munitions Bit and Reprogramming Equipment (CMBRE) and the Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) for weapon reprogramming and mission planning. The program reached Milestone C approval in 2015, leading to the production and deployment of the SDB II, operational on the F-15E Strike Eagle by September 2020.

The Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDB II) has been integrated into the F-15E Strike Eagle used by the USAF, as well as into the F-35B and F-35C used by the Navy. (Picture source: USAF)