Boeing Supports Initial Operational Capability of Small Diameter
Bomb on F-15E Strike Eagles
ST. LOUIS, Sept. 26, 2006 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has met the
necessary U.S. Air Force requirement to support Initial Operational
Capability (IOC) of the Small Diameter Bomb I (SDB I) system, which
recently served with a squadron of Boeing F-15E Strike Eagles
stationed at Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath, England.
Boeing met the requirement, called Required Assets Available, on
Aug. 28, allowing the program to proceed with its IOC.
"The SDB team demonstrated a record-breaking commitment to meeting
the August date, which we set back in 2001," said Boeing SDB
Program Manager Dan Jaspering. "We are pleased to provide SDB to
the Air Force on cost and on schedule."
Joe Hoerter, Boeing F-15 vice president, said, "The F-15E already
was the world's most capable multi-role fighter, and now, with this
great weapon system, Boeing has made it even better."
The SDB I weapon system, which includes a four-bomb capacity
carriage, is the first of a new generation of weapons whose small
size and robust performance greatly increase mission
capability.
Lt. Col. Will Reese, commander of the 494th Fighter Squadron at RAF
Lakenheath, called the SDB I "a great weapon of choice," and he
recognized Boeing's work to integrate the capability with the
F-15E.
Col. Richard Justice, 918th Armament Systems Group commander and
SDB program manager at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., also applauded
the teams' work, saying, "'Ahead of schedule, under cost, exceeds
requirements, suitable, effective and mission capable' are a string
of words, to my knowledge, never before associated with an Air
Force Acquisition Category 1D program. This program is truly one of
the most remarkable successes in Air Force acquisition
history."
An all-weather, 250-pound class weapon system, SDB I quadruples the
number of weapons each aircraft can carry. At 71 inches long and
with a standoff range of 60 nautical miles, the weapon is
compatible with every U.S. fighter and bomber aircraft. Boeing will
manufacture more than 24,000 such weapons and 2,000 carriages for
the Air Force. The Air Force is investing $1.2 billion for
production, with deliveries planned beyond 2015.
The F-15E has two Pratt & Whitney F100-P&W-229 engines,
each generating 29,000 pounds of thrust, allowing the aircraft to
reach speeds exceeding twice the speed of sound. The F-15E can
carry up to 23,000 pounds of payload, including air-to-ground
weapons such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition, SDB and AGM-130
and air-to-air weapons such as the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air
Missile and Sidewinder.
Frm Boeing