SDB II cleared for low-rate production

[Zarvan]

The SDB II was designed with low-observable aircraft in mind. Fit checks, like the one being conducted here on an F-22 Raptor, verified that the aircraft can carry eight of the weapons in its main internal bay along with two advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAMs). The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter will be able to carry eight SDB IIs as well as two AMRAAMs internally. Source: Raytheon
The US Department of Defense has cleared the Raytheon Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) for low-rate initial production (LRIP) with a 'Milestone C' decision, the company announced on 18 May.

"The Milestone C decision enables us to begin putting this game-changing capability into the warfighters' hands," Colonel Kevin Hickman, the US Air Force's (USAF's) programme manager for the effort, said in a statement.

The USAF in February announced completion of two successful live fire test flights that demonstrated SDB II's ability to detect, track, and destroy moving targets. Those tests, conducted at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, were the final flight events required prior to start LRIP. A functional configuration audit, a production readiness review, and a system verification review were also required for the production decision, according to Raytheon.

The Pentagon has spent more than USD700 million on the SDB II development. The weapon features a tri-mode seeker with millimeter-wave radar, uncooled imaging infrared, and semi-active laser modes. The weapon can strike targets from a range of more than 40 n miles and can alter its destination during flight via a secure datalink. A secure datalink allows changes to the weapon's path mid-flight.

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SDB II cleared for low-rate production - IHS Jane's 360