Engineers are also working on plans to integrate the bomb onto the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-16 as well, Raytheon officials said. Most of the testing of the SBD II thus far has been on an Air Force F-15 Eagle fighter jet, however the weapon has also been fitted and tested on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Small Diameter Bomb II represents a technological departure from previously fielded precision-guided air-dropped weapons because of its ability to track and hit moving targets from long distances. The SDB II is a new air-dropped bomb that can pinpoint targets from long distances, destroy stationary or moving targets and change course in flight using a two-way data link, Raytheon and Air Force officials said. 'Each test has its own metrics,' White said.

That is what the Air Force is doing right now, analyzing the target to make sure the target destruction was at the right level for the test,' White added.ĭepending upon the test outcome, there can be catastrophic kill tests or mobility kills designed only to stop a target from moving, he explained. 'Just because you hit a target that does not mean you achieved the right kill metrics. White explained that the model tank was moving at tactically relevant battle speeds when it was destroyed by the SDB II during the live-fire test. The warhead performed as expected and we ended up putting steel on target which is what the goal is,' Jeff White, senior manager, business development, Raytheon, told. This is what the warfighter is going to drop on the bad guys.

Us air force drops tank