Raytheon’s Small Diameter Bomb II program completed a U.S. Air Force critical design review (CDR), clearing the way for the weapon to begin captive flight testing later this year.

"Raytheon's SDB II features a mature tri-mode seeker and a cutting-edge warhead, and completing the CDR proves our design is producible and mature," said Harry Schulte, Raytheon Missile Systems Vice President of Air Warfare Systems. "Raytheon has an affordable and executable plan to deliver a robust engineering and manufacturing development program."

SDB II is an air-launched, precision-strike standoff weapon that will enable the warfighter to defeat moving and fixed targets in adverse weather conditions. The weapon incorporates an improved seeker that features three modes of operation: millimeter-wave radar, uncooled imaging infrared and semiactive laser.

"By using an uncooled seeker and other innovative approaches, we can reduce part count which improves reliability and reduces the life-cycle and production cost of the weapon," said Tom White, Raytheon's SDB II program director. "The CDR demonstrated Raytheon and its suppliers can balance the cost, performance, schedule and risk of the SDB II program."