Brenda Marie Rivers
Boeing and Saab have completed testing activities for their jointly developed ground-launched small diameter bomb and are now slated to begin production of the munition, Defense News reported Monday.
GLSDB has a range of 93.2 miles and combines the features of the Boeing-built GBU-39B small diameter bomb and unguided M26 rocket.
The Boeing-Saab team expects the munition to support the militaries of U.S. allies, which use a standard launch container and multiple launch rocket system. The U.S. Army seeks similar technologies with a range of 310.1 miles as part of its Long Range Precision Fires program.
“We’re looking mostly for us to help the U.S. military’s partners and grow some partner capacity,†said Jim Leary, director of global sales and marketing for Boeing’s weapons products, during a recent Association of the U.S. Army conference.
Testing of GLSDB took place at a test center in Andenes, Norway. According to the test results, the weapon can obtain flight data, measure launch container impact and reach targets 80.8 miles away.
