Raytheon’s New Guided Bomb Successfully Completes First Test

Raytheon Company's Small Tactical Munition Phase II has successfully completed the first guided flight test after scoring a direct hit on a target. "STM Phase II is ideally suited to weaponize Shadow-class unmanned aircraft systems and counterinsurgency aircraft because STM is a mature, precise and affordable weapon," said Dr. Thomas R. Bussing, vice president of Advanced Missiles and Unmanned Systems for Raytheon Missile Systems. "STM gives warfighters flexibility because it enables them to engage moving and static targets with minimal collateral damage." During the February test, a Raytheon Cobra unmanned aircraft system released the STM Phase II in flight. After safely separating from the UAS, the weapon used both GPS/INS and semi-active laser to guide to the target. STM Phase II is a new 13.5-pound, 22-inch long, precision-guided, gravity-dropped bomb specifically designed for employment from manned and unmanned aircraft systems. STM Phase II is more than 2 inches shorter than the Phase I design and has foldable fins and wings, enabling two weapons to be placed inside the U.S. military's common launch tube. STM Phase II's modular assembly will make the system simpler to manufacture on a large scale.