Israel Acquiring GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency(WASHINGTON) notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Israel of GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs as well as associated equipment and services.

The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $77 million.

The Government of Israel has requested a possible sale of 1,000 GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs (SDB1), 150 BRU-61/A SDB1 Mounting Carriages, 30 Guided Test Vehicles, 2 BRU-61/A SDB Instrumented Carriages, 7 Jettison Test Vehicles, 1 Separation Test Vehicle, 2 Reliability and Assessment Vehicles, 12 Common Munitions BIT and Reprogramming Equipment with Test Equipment and Adapters, 3 SDB1 Weapons Simulators, and 2 Load Crew Trainers.


Boeing GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb
During Operation of Allied Force in Kosovo and most recently during Operation of Iraqi Freedom F-15E aircrews had to strike military targets that were often located in a dense urban environment like Bagdad or Fallujah among the civilian population. The large concern for collateral demage among civilians once again validated the USAF's push for a more accurate weapon that could take out the target more effectively with less collateral demage.

The solution to this need is the GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb, which is currently being tested on the F-15E Strike Eagle by the 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin AFB, Florida.


GBU-39/B Specifications
Primary Function: Air-to-Ground precision guided glide bomb
Manufacturer: Boeing (McDonnell Douglas)
Guidance System: Advanced Anti-Jam GPS aided Inertial Navigation System (AJGPS/INS)
Warhead: 250-lb multi-purpose penetrating and blast-fragmentation warhead
Range: > 60 nm
Ceiling: 9,100 m (30,000 feet)
Length: 1.80 m (70.8 in)
Wingspan: 1.38 m (54.2 in)
Diameter: 0.19 m (7.48 in)
Launch Weight: 130 kg (285 lbs)
Unit Cost: US$ 64,000 (in full-rate production)
Inventory: 24,000 planned