TUCSON, Ariz., June 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon
Company (NYSE: RTN) and the U.S. Air Force concluded a series of
flight tests for the Small Diameter Bomb II culminating in direct
hits on stationary land targets. The successful tests further
position the SDB II program to move from engineering,
manufacturing, development phase to low rate initial
production.
Using upgraded hardware and electronics during extended periods
of flight, SDB II successfully acquired and engaged several
stationary targets.
"Detecting stationary targets amidst the clutter of battlefield
environments without using latitude and longitude presents a
difficult challenge for most weapons today, but not SDB II," said
Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence, Raytheon
Missile Systems president. "Acquiring stationary targets with the
same seeker that can identify and track moving targets demonstrates
the dynamic capability this new weapon brings to the
warfighter."
SDB II can hit targets from a range of more than 40 nautical
miles. Its powerful warhead can destroy armored targets, while
keeping collateral damage to a minimum through a small explosive
footprint. The highly accurate SDB II offers warfighters the
flexibility to change targets through a datalink that passes
inflight updates to the weapon.
"These latest tests showcase our tri-mode seeker's game-changing
capability to acquire, track, engage and destroy both stationary
and moving targets in adverse weather," said John O'Brien, Raytheon Small Diameter Bomb II
program director. "Upcoming live fire tests will prove the
end-to-end capability of SDB II and will demonstrate the program's
readiness to progress to System Verification Review and Milestone
C, clearing the way for low rate initial production."
About SDB II
SDB II employs Raytheon's uncooled
tri-mode seeker. The new seeker operates in three modes:
millimeter-wave radar, uncooled imaging infrared and semi-active
laser. These three modes enable the weapon to seek and destroy
targets, even in adverse weather conditions from standoff
ranges.
The DOD has validated SDB II as a weapon that meets a critical
warfighter need and has invested more than $700 million in the SDB II program.
About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2013 sales of
$24
billion and 63,000 employees worldwide, is a
technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security
and civil markets throughout the world. With a history of
innovation spanning 92 years, Raytheon provides
state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other
capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command,
control, communications and intelligence systems, as well
as cyber security and a broad range of mission support
services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit
us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter
@Raytheon.
Media Contact
Ashley Mehl
+1.520.794.5142
rmspr@raytheon.com
SOURCE Raytheon Company