Military and Commercial Technology: Lockheed awarded contract for integration of F-35, SDB-II

Saturday 11 November 2017

Lockheed awarded contract for integration of F-35, SDB-II

A F-35 Lightning II from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, takes off from the Gowen Field runway Oct. 16, 2017, in Boise, Idaho. Photo by Airman 1st Class Mercedee Schwartz/U.S. Air National Guard

By James LaPorta | Nov. 10, 2017 at 11:53 AM

Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Pentagon officials announced Thursday that Lockheed Martin Aeronautics has been awarded a contract for weapons technology and development support on the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter and small-diameter bomb II for the U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force.

The deal is estimated to be worth more than $34.6 million and is classified as a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract -- where Lockheed Martin will be reimbursed by the U.S. government on a negotiated fee that is fixed before the contract is set in stone.

Defense Department officials are enabling Lockheed to develop "weapons capabilities technology maturation and risk reduction pre-engineering, manufacturing and development activities," according to a Pentagon statement.

In July, Lockheed Martin was awarded a $5.6 billion contract modification to an existing contract for Lot 11 low-rate acquisition of the F-35 Lightning II fighter.

That contract called for the procurement needs of the the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, allied nations and customers under the foreign military sales program, which provides for 74 Fiscal 2017 aircraft, including 48 F-35As for the Air Force, 19 F-35Bs for the Marine Corps, and eight F-35Cs for the Navy and Marine Corps.

Raytheon announced last month that it has already started integrating the SDB-II system on the F-35, F/A-18E/F and F-15E aircraft.

Work on Thursday's contract announcement will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in July 2018, according to Pentagon officials.

Fiscal 2017 research, development, test and evaluation funds for the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force in the amount of $6 million are being obligated at the time of award, all of which, the Pentagon said, will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Original post: upi.com

SDB II Bomb

Fewer aircraft, greater effectiveness

Warfighters gain ability to hit moving targets in all-weather conditions with the Small Diameter Bomb II.

Poor weather and battlefield obscurants continue to endanger warfighters as adversaries rely on these conditions to escape attacks. This has established the requirement for an all-weather solution that enhances warfighters' capabilities when visibility is limited.

The SDB II™ bomb, a Raytheon program for the U.S. Air Force, will provide this capability to the warfighter.

Raytheon, the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy have begun SDB II™ bomb integration activities on the F-35, F/A-18E/F and F-15E aircraft.

The seeker works in three modes to provide maximum operational flexibility: millimeter wave radar to detect and track targets through weather, imaging infrared for enhanced target discrimination and semi-active laser that enables the weapon to track an airborne laser designator or one on the ground.

An F-15E fighter aircraft, pictured, can carry seven groups of four SDB II bombs, for a total of 28 weapons. Photo courtesy of Raytheon

This powerful, integrated seeker seamlessly shares targeting information among all three modes, enabling the weapon to engage fixed or moving targets at any time of day and in all-weather conditions. The SDB II bomb's tri-mode seeker can also peer through battlefield dust and debris, giving the warfighter a capability that's unaffected by conditions on the ground or in the air.

The weapon can fly more than 45 miles to strike mobile targets, reducing the amount of time that aircrews' spend in harm's way. Its small size enables the use of fewer aircraft to take out the same number of targets as previous, larger weapons that required multiple jets. The SDB II bomb's size has broader implications for the warfighter and taxpayers, as it means fewer attacks with less time spent flying dangerous missions.

The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy have begun SDB II bomb integration activities on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. Raytheon will complete integration on the F-15E Strike Eagle in 2017. Source: raytheon.com