According to information published by the International press agency Reuters on November 28, 2022, the American company Boeing submitted a proposal to the United States Department of Defense to supply Ukraine Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), a guided rocket artillery ammunition that will increase firing range of M142 HIMARS rocket launcher vehicles up to 150 km. Using a standard guided rocket, the HIMARS has a maximum firing range of 70 km.
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GLSDB - Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb. (Picture source SAAB)
The GLSDB (Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb) is a new generation of precision-guided ammunition that was jointly developed by the Swedish company SAAB and the American company Boeing using Boeing’s GBU-39B SDB I bomb and M26 rocket motor of the M270A1 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) manufactured by Lockheed Martin and Diehl BGT Defence.
The GBU-39B Small Diameter Bomb, or SDB, is an extended range all-weather, day or night 115 kg class, guided munition that was developed as a weapon system for combat aircraft. 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.
The M26 is an unguided rocket that was designed to be launched by the M270 MLRS. The rocket is powered by a solid-fuel rocket motor.
GLSDB has the ability to fly non-ballistic trajectories and maneuvers to strike targets that cannot be reached by conventional direct-fire weapons, such as reverse slope engagement. GLSDB offers land forces a truly mobile capability to hit targets that before have been out of their range. The rocket offers high lethality, increased range, and high maneuverability. It has the ability to defeat soft and hard skin threats, targets behind the launcher, as well as hard-to-reach targets.
Citing open source information, the GLSDB can be launched by the American-made M142 HIMARS, an MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) that the United States has delivered to the Ukrainian armed forces. The HIMARS has two rocket pods and can load up to six rockets according to the pod.
One of the main advantages of the GLSDB, it can be launched from hidden or protected rocket-launching sites to avoid detection by the enemy forces, engage targets at 360°, and is accurate to strike targets within 1 m.
The GLSDB has a weight of around 115 kg and is equipped with an Advanced Anti-Jam GPS System-aided Inertial Navigation System, combined with a multipurpose, penetrating blast-and-fragmentation warhead and programmable electronic fuze. The rocket has a firing range of up to 150 km while the standard HIMARS rockets can reach a maximum firing range of 70 km. It can be used to destroy static and mobile targets with a high level of accuracy during day and night and in all weather conditions.
