GBU-39B Small Diameter Bomb Weapon System

Mission
The GBU-39B Small Diameter Bomb, or SDB, is an extended range all-weather, day or night 250-pound class, guided munition. The SDB relies on the Global Positioning System to provide navigation to the target. Additionally, its small size allows increased aircraft loadout to achieve multiple kills per sortie and inherently reduces the probability of collateral damage.

Features
The SDB system employs a smart carriage capable of carrying four 250-lb class guided air-to-surface munitions. It is capable of destroying high-priority fixed and stationary targets from Air Force fighters and bombers in internal bays or on external hard-points. SDB increases aircraft loadout, decreases the logistical footprint, decreases collateral damage, and improves aircraft sortie generation times.

The SDB provides a transformational capability to the warfighter increasing smart weapon carriage by placing up to four smart weapons per 1760 store location.

The weapon system is capable of standoff ranges in excess of 40 nautical miles. The system can be targeted and released against single or multiple targets. SDB target coordinates are loaded into the weapon before release either on the ground or in the air by the aircrew. Once the weapon is released, it relies on GPS/INS to self-navigate to the desired impact point.

A GBU-39 small diameter bomb sits in the munitions storage area at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Nov. 27, 2020. Al Udeid AB stores the GPS guided bombs in a war reserve material munitions stockpile containing munitions for various airframes in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Each GBU-39 attaches to a bomb rack unit that holds up to four SDBs, allowing the airframe to increase its payload exponentially.

A GBU-39 small diameter bomb sits in the munitions storage area at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Nov. 27, 2020. Al Udeid AB stores the GPS guided bombs in a war reserve material munitions stockpile containing munitions for various airframes in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Each GBU-39 attaches to a bomb rack unit that holds up to four SDBs, allowing the airframe to increase its payload exponentially. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jordan Martin)
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U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Angelica Range, munitions systems technician with the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, guides a bomb rack unit equipped with four GBU-39 small diameter bombs into position at the munitions storage area on Al Udeid Air Base, Nov. 27, 2020. Many munitions Airmen at Al Udeid AB hail from Air Mobility Command bases where their primary function is to support cargo aircraft with countermeasures. At Al Udeid AB, they have the opportunity to qualify on the wide variety of weapons systems present in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Angelica Range, munitions systems technician with the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, guides a bomb rack unit equipped with four GBU-39 small diameter bombs into position at the munitions storage area on Al Udeid Air Base, Nov. 27, 2020. Many munitions Airmen at Al Udeid AB hail from Air Mobility Command bases where their primary function is to support cargo aircraft with countermeasures. At Al Udeid AB, they have the opportunity to qualify on the wide variety of weapons systems present in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jordan Martin)
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Four GBU-39 small diameter bombs sit in the munitions storage area at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Nov. 27, 2020. Al Udeid AB stores the GPS guided bombs in a war reserve material munitions stockpile alongside munitions for every airframe operating in the region. Munitions technicians in the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group are responsible for safely storing, arming and transporting the bombs on Al Udeid AB.

Four GBU-39 small diameter bombs sit in the munitions storage area at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Nov. 27, 2020. Al Udeid AB stores the GPS guided bombs in a war reserve material munitions stockpile alongside munitions for every airframe operating in the region. Munitions technicians in the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group are responsible for safely storing, arming and transporting the bombs on Al Udeid AB. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jordan Martin)
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Background 
The F-15E Strike Eagle is currently the only aircraft outfitted with the SDB weapon system. Future platforms include the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-117, B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit, F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.

Air Combat Command defined a mission need for a miniaturized munitions capability in 1997. The Joint Requirements Oversight Council validated this need and development began on the Small Diameter Bomb in 2001. After a 24-month component advanced development phase ended September 2003, Boeing was selected as the prime contractor to develop and produce the Small Diameter Bomb Weapon System. The contract for system development and demonstration was awarded October 2003. The system went into limited initial production in April 2005. In August 2006, the SDB was delivered to warfighters.

General Characteristics
Primary Function: Guided air-to-surface weapon
Contractor: Boeing Co.
Range: More than 40 nautical miles (46 miles)
Guidance System: Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System
Unit cost: Approximately $40,000
Initial operational capability: October 2006
Projected Inventory: Total force, 24,000 munitions and 2,000 carriages