The US government has cleared the potential sale of GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs) to Poland.
The possible sale covers up to 1,400 SDBs and is valued at $180 million, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).
The possible deal includes a range of other equipment and services related to the weapons. Boeing is the prime contractor for the SDB.
“The proposed sale will improve Poland’s capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing its capacity to conduct effective air-to-ground strikes, reinforcing its capability to protect Polish sovereign territory, and improving its ability to meet NATO requirements,” says the DSCA.
“Poland will have no difficulty absorbing these articles into its armed forces.”
The DSCA does not state the aircraft on which the SDBs will be deployed, but FlightGlobal’s 2025 World Air Forces directory shows that it operates 36 Lockheed Martin F-16Cs. It is also in the process of receiving 32 Lockheed F-35As.
The US Air Force has this to say about the weapon type: “The GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb, or SDB, is an extended range all-weather, day or night 250-pound class, guided munition. The SDB relies on the Global Positioning System to provide navigation to the target. Additionally, its small size allows increased aircraft loadout to achieve multiple kills per sortie and inherently reduces the probability of collateral damage.”
