Bomb tri-mode seeker excels in testing

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TUCSON, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- Raytheon in Arizona said its Small Diameter Bomb II uncooled tri-mode seeker exceeded expected performance parameters in recent tests.

The seeker fuses millimeter-wave radar, uncooled imaging infrared and semi-active laser sensors on a single gimbal, resulting in a powerful, integrated seeker that seamlessly shares targeting information between modes, enabling the weapon to engage fixed or moving targets around-the-clock in adverse weather conditions.

"We kept SDB II affordable by designing it to meet -- not exceed -- government requirements," said Harry Schulte, vice president of Air Warfare Systems for Raytheon Missile Systems. "The fact that the uncooled IIR sensor surpasses design specifications is a win for the warfighter and the taxpayer.

"These tests prove there's no need to increase the cost of a tri-mode seeker by adding a cooled IIR seeker when an uncooled IIR will work just as well."

Raytheon is producing integrated tri-mode seekers in the world's only operational factory specifically designed to assemble such seekers.

"Raytheon pioneered tri-mode seeker technology and we're the only company that can claim its tri-mode seeker is reliable and consistently accurate," said Tom White, Raytheon's SDB II program director. "In addition to being effective, uncooled IIR sensors are affordable and have a reduced total life-cycle cost."