The demand in Iraq and Afghanistan for precision weapons that minimize collateral damage and reduce shrapnel is driving the development of a new variant of the Small Diameter Bomb called the Focused Lethality Munition, senior Air Force acquisition leaders told reporters Thursday. The weapon will carry a 250-pound warhead that is superb for taking out bad guys in tight spots where civilians might be present, but it still has a good amount of shrapnel that can impact the surrounding area, said Lt. Gen. Donald Hoffman. The FLM, in testing currently, has a similar blast effect but the radius diminishes quickly due to a new woven casing as opposed to a traditional steel casing. A typical bomb has shrapnel that can go a long distance after impact, said Maj. Gen. Mark Shackelford. Without deadly shrapnel, nearby civilians and other friendlies stand a much lower risk of being injured or killed in a precision strike, he added.
Competitors Not Picked for CCA Look Forward to Increment 2
April 25, 2024
While none of the major aircraft contractors were selected to develop the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, all three say they are seeking further autonomous aircraft work for the Navy, foreign partners, or in the classified arena, and maybe future versions of the CCA itself.