Air Weapons: USN Bomb Design Undercuts USAF Design

Archives

May 15, 2007: The U.S. Navy wanted a smart bomb that did not pack as much punch as the smallest one currently available, the 500 pounder. Rather than buy the expensive (over $50,000 each) air force 250 pound SDB (Small Diameter Bomb), the navy simply had some 500 pound bombs modified to remove about half the explosives. Thus they get the same bomb explosive performance as the SDB, at half the cost. The SDB, of course, is designed to penetrate concrete or ground, as well as being much smaller than the 500 pound bomb. That's all well and good, but all the navy wanted was a bomb that was safer to use against targets in urban areas, where there are a lot of civilians about.

X

ad

On July 24th we will have been at it for 26 years.

But we need your help to keep going! The summer months are our lowest revenue months. And we need your support.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close