Posted on 10/03/2017 8:40:00 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
The US State Department has approved the sale of 3,900 Raytheon GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bombs Increment II (SDB II) weapons to Australia for use with its Lockheed Martin F-35As.
The $815 million Foreign Military Sale package includes the 3,900 weapons, test equipment, training equipment, and other support, says the Defense Security Cooperation Agency on its web site.
"The proposed sale of SDB II supports and complements the ongoing sale of the F-35A to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)," says the DSCA. "This capability will strengthen combined operations, particularly air to ground strike missions in all-weather conditions, and increase interoperability between the United States and the RAAF. Australia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces."
"The proposed sale will improve Australia’s F-35 survivability and will enhance its capability to deter global threats, strengthen its homeland defense and cooperate in coalition defense initiatives," adds the DSCA.
According to Raytheon's web site, the SDB II will be fully integrated onto the F-35 by 2022, with the aircraft capable of carrying eight of the munitions internally and 16 externally.
"With the weapons carried inside, the SDB II munition will enable the F-35 to hit moving targets in adverse weather while retaining its stealth capabilities," says Raytheon.
The RAAF is committed to buying 72 F-35As, and could take its acquisition up to 100 aircraft. It's first squadron will be operational in 2021, with all 72 aircraft expected to be fully operational by 2023.
The type will replace the RAAF's Boeing F/A-18 A/B Hornets.
Such a deal...
$815 billion isn’t ‘giving’ them to Australia.
Make that $815 million.
The way how the usa is making weapons these days it makes me wonder if the plan is to overwhelmed the enemy with mouse clicks vs explosives.
Call me a cynic but at least the Russian weapons packs a lot of explosives compared to All of ours. Why is that?
Their nukes are in the mega-tonnage capacity vs ours are 120-440 kt, our 5.56 bullets lacks kinetic knock down power vs their 7.62x39 bullets. Systemically everything we build has less power though very accurate; why can't we do both?
You do realize that Russia's main battle rifles are chambered in 5.45x39mm?
They saw our 5.56 and then decided to copy us!
An 250lb SDB or a 500lb bomb is enough for the vast majority of likely targets (leaving out heavily fortified targets) today.
A single F-35 or F-15E can pack about a dozen SDBs; so, in theory, a single fighter can hit at least six targets in one mission.
Sure, but what are those 1,200 muslim savages going to cost U.S. taxpayers over the long term? Millions? Absolutely. Billions? It's entirely possible.
I'm aware that these two stories are unrelated, but since Trump chose to honor Obama's despicable deal with Australia, I think of it every time I see that country mentioned.
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