Raytheon, USAF Test Small Diameter Bomb II Via Wind Tunnel

The U.S. Air Force and Raytheon have conducted a series of wind-tunnel tests on a weapon designed to help fighter pilots eliminate moving targets at a range of more than 40 miles.

Raytheon said Monday engineers used scale models of Small Diameter Bomb II and F-35 aircraft to gather data on the drag, lift and side force of the weapon.

Mike Jarrett, vice president of Raytheon’s air warfare systems business, said SDB II was designed to track enemies on the move even in environments obscured by smoke or rain.

The weapon is equipped with millimeter wave radar, infrared guidance and semi-active laser guidance systems that work to locate potential targets.

Raytheon is also integrating SDB II units on the Air Force’s F-15E Strike Eagle and the U.S. Navy‘s F/A-18E Super Hornet.