Raytheon bomb ready for flight testing

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TUCSON, April 5 (UPI) -- Raytheon Co.'s Small Diameter Bomb II is ready for captive flight testing after passing a U.S. Air Force critical design review.

The SDB II is an air-launched, precision-strike standoff weapon that can be used against moving and fixed targets in adverse weather conditions, the company said.

The weapon incorporates an improved seeker that features three modes of operation: millimeter-wave radar, uncooled imaging infrared and semi-active laser.

"Raytheon's SDB II features a mature tri-mode seeker and a cutting-edge warhead, and completing the CDR proves our design is producible and mature," said Harry Schulte, Raytheon Missile Systems vice president of Air Warfare Systems. "Raytheon has an affordable and executable plan to deliver a robust engineering and manufacturing development program."

Tom White, Raytheon's SDB II program director, said that using an uncooled seeker and other approaches, improves weapon reliability and reduces production and life-cycle costs.

Details of the critical design review by the Air Force weren't disclosed.