Which countries benefit from new $6.9 Billion US Small Diameter Bomb deal?.

On September 30, 2024, the US Department of Defense awarded Boeing a contract valued at $6.9 billion for the production and delivery of the Small Diameter Bombs Increment One (SDB I). Since entering service in 2006, the SDB has allowed aircraft to carry more munitions, replacing a single 907-kilogram bomb with a rack of four SDBs using a specialized rack system. Multiple countries, including Japan, Bulgaria, and Ukraine, are set to receive these munitions under the Foreign Military Sales program, with the project expected to be completed by December 31, 2035.
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Since entering service in 2006, the SDB has allowed aircraft to carry more munitions, replacing a single 907-kilogram bomb with a rack of four SDBs using the BRU-61/A rack system. (Picture source: US DoD)

Funding for the contract is sourced from multiple fiscal years: Fiscal Year 2022 missile procurement funds amounting to $147,207; Fiscal Year 2023 funds totaling $2,457,134; Fiscal Year 2024 funds reaching $34,324,863; and Foreign Military Sales funds totaling $396,427,227, all of which have been obligated at the time of the award.

The SDB has been produced since 2005, with over 17,000 units manufactured. This weapon could arm several aircraft, including the F-15E Strike Eagle, Panavia Tornado, JAS-39 Gripen, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor, and AC-130W. Future integration is planned for the F-35 Lightning II, A-10 Thunderbolt II, B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit, B-52 Stratofortress, AC-130J, and potentially other aircraft and unmanned systems like the General Atomics MQ-20 Avenger.

The GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) is a 113-kilogram precision-guided glide bomb developed by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. This configuration increases the number of targets that can be engaged in a single mission, enhancing operational flexibility. The SDB is guided by a GPS-aided inertial navigation system and is designed to attack fixed or stationary targets, including fuel depots and bunkers.

It contains approximately 16 kilograms of AFX-757 high explosive and has deployable wings that extend after release, allowing it to glide over 111 kilometers when air-dropped. The bomb achieves a circular error probable (CEP) of about 1 meter, offering high accuracy while reducing collateral damage. Its warhead is capable of penetrating more than 1 meter of steel-reinforced concrete under 1 meter of earth, and its fuze offers cockpit-selectable functions, including air burst and delayed detonation options.

The Small Diameter Bombs Increment One (SDB I), also known as GBU-39/B, features a penetrating blast fragmentation warhead with a steel nosecone, containing 16 kilograms of AFX 757 explosive. (Picture source: US Air Force)

Several Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) variants exist, tailored for different operational requirements. The GBU-39A/B, known as the Focused Lethality Munition (FLM), features a lightweight composite casing and a focused-blast explosive, aiming to reduce collateral damage in urban areas. Boeing delivered the first 50 FLM weapons in 2008 and completed the delivery of 500 units in 2013. The Laser SDB (GBU-39B/B) variant includes semi-active laser guidance and underwent testing in 2011, with claims of successful targeting of moving objects at speeds of 48.3 kilometers per hour and 80.5 kilometers per hour. This version was fielded by U.S. Special Operations Command in 2014.

The SDB I’s mass is 129 kilograms, with a length of 1.80 meters. When its wings are extended, the width reaches 1.61 meters, while it is 190 millimeters in a packed state. The warhead weight across all SDB I variants totals 93 kilograms. The SDB I (GBU-39/B) features a penetrating blast fragmentation warhead with a steel nosecone, containing 16 kilograms of AFX 757 explosive, which is insensitive munition certified. It can penetrate over 0.91 meters of steel-reinforced concrete.

The SDB FLM (GBU-39A/B) variant contains 62 kilograms of AFX 1209 MBX ("multiphase blast explosive") with a composite casing, while the Laser SDB (GBU-39B/B) has a similar explosive fill but lacks the steel nosecone. All variants have an operational range exceeding 111 kilometers when air-dropped, and up to 150 kilometers when ground-launched as part of the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) system.

The Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) is a weapon developed by Boeing and the Saab Group, designed to enable ground-based launches of the SDB from systems like the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System and M142 HIMARS. Combining the SDB with the M26 rocket, the GLSDB began mass production in 2023 and was first used in combat by Ukraine in 2024. However, its performance reportedly faced challenges due to Russia's electromagnetic warfare capabilities, as well as deficiencies in tactics, techniques, and procedures.

The SDB has deployable wings that extend after release, allowing it to glide over 111 kilometers when air-dropped, and achieves a circular error probable (CEP) of about 1 meter, offering high accuracy while reducing collateral damage. (Picture source: US DoD)

The Ukrainian Air Force has also used air-dropped Small Diameter Bombs since November 2023, which have reportedly maintained high accuracy with a "nearly 90 percent" success rate. Evidence suggests that Ukraine has modified MiG-29AS fighters to carry eight GBU-39/B bombs. While the air-launched version has proved resilient to jamming, the GLSDB's parabolic flight path was more vulnerable to interception due to its detectability on radar.

Current operators of the SDB include Australia, which procured up to 2,950 GBU-39 bombs and 50 Guided Test Vehicles in 2016, with deliveries beginning in 2019. Israel acquired 3,450 GBU-39/B bombs in 2012 and an additional 4,100 in 2015. Italy signed a $34 million contract in 2010 to manufacture the SBD-1, while the Netherlands purchased 603 bombs in 2010. Saudi Arabia has acquired 1,000 GBU-39s in 2013 and an additional 3,000 in 2020. South Korea purchased a total of 1,084 bombs across two contracts in 2013, and Sweden ordered the GBU-39/B for deployment on the JAS 39 Gripen in 2019. Ukraine also operates the SDB, with the United States being the largest operator.

Future operators include Bahrain, which purchased 100 GBU-39/B bombs in 2019 as part of a sale for its F-16 aircraft. Bulgaria agreed to purchase 28 GBU-39 bombs with the delivery expected by 2026. Morocco, NATO, Portugal, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates have also made purchases or received approvals to acquire the SDB, with deliveries expected in the coming years.