Boeing has been awarded a 10-year $65 million contract to provide small-diameter bombs to 12 foreign nations.

This contract, which was announced Monday by the U.S. Defense Department, provides for integration, sustainment and support of the small diameter bomb Increment I miniature munition and carriage system on various platforms around the world.

Support includes testing, engineering, management, technical and logistical activities. The number of bombs wasn't specified.

The sales are to Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Israel, South Korea, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and Singapore -- as well as future country with an approved letter of offer and acceptance.

Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $2.5 million are being obligated on the first task order at the time of award.

Work is expected to be complete by April 15, 2029, and will be performed at Boeing's plant in St. Louis as well as various Air Force test ranges and in each respective country.

The small diameter bomb's "precision guidance and compact size allow today's warfighters to surgically prosecute more targets per sortie" at a range greater than 60 nautical miles, according to Boeing.

The smart carriage is capable of carrying four 250-pound class guided air-to-surface munitions. The bombs are 7.5 inches wide and 70.8 inches long.

"Its small size allows increased aircraft loadout to achieve multiple kills per sortie and inherently reduces the probability of collateral damage," the Air Force said on its website.

The Air Force selected Boeing in 2003 to develop and build the system.

The system, known as GBU-39B, has been used by the Air Force since 2006 on the F-15E Strike Eagle.

In 2015, the Pentagon initially approved Raytheon's small diameter bomb II program for the F-15E, which is designed to attack moving targets, unlike Boeing's system. The Navy plans to first integrate the SDB II onto F/A-18 Super Hornet jets, then F-35B and C fighters.

Related Links
The latest in Military Technology for the 21st century at SpaceWar.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Trump's controversial transgender troop ban takes effect
Washington (AFP) April 12, 2019
US President Donald Trump's controversial ban on transgender Americans in the military comes into force on Friday following a protracted legal battle. Trump's administration has insisted that there is "too great a risk to military effectiveness and lethality" to allow transgender people to serve - reversing a policy enacted under his predecessor Barack Obama. The Pentagon says the restrictions are not a blanket ban, but they would bar many if not most people who identify as transgender from enl ... read more