The United States government has authorized the possible sale of GBU-39/B glide bombs and JDAM kits to equip the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force’s F-16 fighters. The operation, notified by the State Department to the U.S. Congress, is valued at US$644 million and falls under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
To date, and thanks to agreements with the United States, the United Arab Emirates is one of the most important operators of F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters in the Middle East. In total, since deliveries by Lockheed Martin began in 2004, the UAE Air Force operates a fleet of 80 Block 60 aircraft, of which 55 are single-seat F-16E and 25 are two-seat F-16F variants.
Within this context, and against the backdrop of the current tensions between the United States and Iran—where the UAE Air Force remains on alert, like its neighbors—the country’s government requested the acquisition of new guided munitions and guidance kits for its F-16 fleet.
According to the notification published on March 19 by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the package authorized for the Middle Eastern country’s air force includes:
- 1,500 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs Increment I
- 900 KMU-556 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kits
- 300 KMU-557 JDAM tail kits
The package, valued at the aforementioned US$644 million, also includes training munitions, FMU-139 fuzes, Link 16 datalink support systems, as well as spare parts, consumables, documentation, and manufacturer support.
The State Department stated that it “…has determined and provided a detailed justification that an emergency exists requiring the immediate sale to the United Arab Emirates of the aforementioned defense articles and services in the interest of U.S. national security, thereby waiving the Congressional review requirements pursuant to Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended.”
It added: “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of an important defense partner. The proposed sale will enhance the United Arab Emirates’ capability to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, enabling it to meet its national defense requirements. The United Arab Emirates will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.”
On the GBU-39/B bomb
Designated as Small Diameter Bomb Increment I (SDB-I), the GBU-39/B is a precision glide bomb that can be employed by a wide range of combat aircraft thanks to its 250-pound (approximately 110-kilogram) weight.
In service with the United States Air Force (USAF) since 2006, it features, depending on the variant, different types of guidance, including GPS, laser, or inertial, with ranges—when air-launched—exceeding 100 kilometers.
*Images used for illustrative purposes.
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