Sweden is slated to take delivery of its order of 53 SDBs for integration onto the Gripen fighter in December 2013. Norway will be the last current foreign military sales customer to take delivery — 150 SDBs and 14 carriage units — in 2014. Norway also will employ the weapon on the F-16.
Air Force officials say the average unit cost of the SDB through its seven lots of purchases is $22,675. Including the purchase of BRU-61s, the cost is $55,000.
Meanwhile, the company hopes to continue production at its St. Charles, Mo., facility by diversifying the SDB’s capabilities, including the Laser-Guided SDB U.S. Special Operations Command is buying for use on its AC-130W gunships. And, Boeing continues to offer the Focused Lethality Munition (FLM), an SDB with a dense explosive fill and composite casing designed to counter personnel without infrastructure damage.
The U.S. Air Force purchased 500 FLMs, with final deliveries expected by the end of next year.