Raytheon test flights small-diameter bomb

• Tweet

PARIS, June 19 (UPI) -- U.S. company Raytheon said it completed its first post-contract award, control test vehicle flight of its Small Diameter Bomb II.

During the test, a U.S. Air Force F-15E released the SDB II in flight and, after safely separating from the aircraft, the weapon deployed its wings and performed a series of preprogrammed maneuvers.

The mission met all test objectives, the company said.

"The SDB II is an air-launched, precision-strike standoff weapon that will enable the warfighter to defeat moving and fixed targets in adverse weather conditions," said Harry Schulte, Raytheon Missile Systems vice president of Air Warfare Systems. "With its tri-mode seeker and highly lethal warhead, SDB II will prove an ideal solution for the warfighter."

SDB II incorporates an improved seeker that features three modes of operation: millimeter-wave radar, uncooled imaging infrared and semi-active laser. The uncooled seeker reduces the total life-cycle cost of the weapon and improves reliability by reducing part count.

"This test demonstrates the high performance of the SDB II design and validates the aerodynamic performance mold used in our simulations," said Tom White, Raytheon's SDB II program director.

Raytheon, with headquarters in Massachusetts, made the announcement at the Paris air show.