The Small Diameter Bomb II will first equip the F-15E and then the Joint Strike Fighter, circa 2014. The Air Force eventually wants to equip the F-22 with the new bomb, but officials were not ready to release a timeframe. The Navy will also use SDB II, and part of the requirement calls for a seeker that can find targets at sea. The Air Force is running the program for both services and wants to bring the weapon in for an initial cost of $87,000 a round, at quantities yet to be determined.
The Chinese spy balloon may have popped, but funding to protect against similar threats is inflating, according to the Department of Defense. The high-attitude surveillance balloon that traversed the U.S. in late January and early February prompted last-minute additions to the Pentagon's budget of around $90 million for measures to…