The Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) system is the next generation of low-cost and low collateral-damage precision strike weapons for internal and external carriage. With a range greater than 60 nautical miles, SDB’s precision guidance and compact size allow today’s warfighters to surgically prosecute more targets per sortie.
The pneumatic SDB carriage allows four weapons to be carried in one aircraft weapon station. The SDB Focused Lethality Munition (FLM) variant incorporates a carbon fiber composite warhead case and an advanced multiphase blast explosive for precision engagements with ultra-low collateral damage outside the blast zone.
In August 2003, following a two-year competitive phase, the Air Force selected Boeing to develop and build the SDB system. The Boeing and Air Force SDB I Team completed the most successful development program in recent history and delivered the SDB system to the warfighter at cost and ahead of schedule.
The Air Force declared initial operational capability in October 2006, and has been in combat use on the F-15E since October 2006. SDB integration on the F-22A, F-35, and F-16 is under way. In January 2012, Boeing produced the 10,000th SDB for the Air Force.
In November 2010, Boeing was awarded a $106 million Lot 7 contract extension from the U.S. Air Force for nearly 2,700 Small Diameter Bomb Increment I (SDB I) munitions and approximately 380 BRU-61 carriages.
GBU-39/B Weapon:
- Dimensions: (L x W): 70.8" x 7.5" (1.8 m x 19 cm)
- Weapon Weight: 285 lbs. (130 kg)
- Warhead: 206 lb. (93 kg) penetrating blast fragmentation
- Warhead penetration: >3 feet of steel reinforced concrete
- Fuze: electronic safe/arm fuze (ESAF) cockpit selectable functions, including air burst and delayed burst options
- Standoff maximum range: more than 60 nautical miles
- Precision inertial navigation system/global positioning system (INS/GPS)
- Anti-jam GPS and selective-ability anti-spoofing module (SAASM)
BRU-61/A Carriage System:
- Payload capacity: four weapons
- Weight: 320 lbs. (145 kg) empty, 1,460 lbs. (664 kg) loaded
- Dimensions (L x W x H): 143" x 16" x 16" (3.6 m x 40.6 cm x 40.6 cm)