I just saw the numbers for the proposed FY2013 defense budget from DOD on the Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) and was shocked. Granted they are also working on an SDBII which is more complex, but if we keep going at this rate, we won't be able to afford a war because:
1. We are already in grave debt.
2. Munitions are so expensive that we can only afford less of them.
3. While precision guided munitions are efficient; that works only to a point.
The Small Diameter Bomb was going to cost around 50K each. Pricey, but over time we would hope the price goes down. It was to do a few things:
1. Be low collateral.
2. Penetrate like a 2000lb BLU-109 forged steel pointy tip.
2. But just as important, allow an aircraft to carry more weapons per sortie because it was light and small and there are a wide range of target-sets that can die by a precisely placed small warhead.
3. Be a stand-off weapon to put the launching platform at less risk.
For low threat wars it is a non-starter. The U.S. Navy solved the low collateral problem by taking a 500 pound class dumb bomb (BLU-111), and removing some of the explosive filler and replacing it with ballast so that when mated to a Paveway laser-guided kit, it flew well with little explosive power. There have been other low collateral options like flying a Paveway with a training bomb (no explosive just cement ballast) into a vehicle or piece of equipment to wreck it.
USAF came up with a requirement for a special low-collateral warhead above and beyond the stock SDB, but at what price are we to follow this?
If you look at the proposed FY2013 budget, we are buying 144 SDBs this year.
At the cost of $291,666 each not counting R&D.
Unreal.
4 comments:
Insanely expensive as these next-gen munitions are, it puts things into perspective when calculating that the USAF could buy about 650 of these SDB bombs for the price of 1 pre-mature LRIP F-35A!
Alternatively, the USAF could buy a latest-block new build F-16 with AESA, plus Sniper pod, plus 2 AIM-120, plus 2 AIM-9X, plus 300 SDB bombs for the price of 1 pre-mature LRIP F-35!
Here is clue, like everthihg else in the USA, subcontract it to China, and bring the price down.No doubt they already have technology, stolen.
Again: This has almost nothing to do with military. It's breast-feeding the "private" industry. Better nationalize the lot (think high-tech arsenal, doing fancy missile and such instead of Model 1816 muskets).
Well, what do you expect from the Air Force? Financial responsibility? Cost-effectiveness?
Turn the whole business over to the Navy.
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