The government has said it is withholding the delivery date for the Small Diameter Bomb II, procured as an interim standoff capability for the F-35 Lightning fleet, on the grounds that releasing the information would harm the capability, effectiveness and security of the armed forces.
Minister of State for Defence Luke Pollard provided the response to a written question from Ben Obese-Jecty, the Conservative MP for Huntingdon, tabled on 26 May. Obese-Jecty asked by what date the interim standoff capability would be available via the SDB-II procurement.
Pollard said he was withholding the date as it “would harm the capability, effectiveness, and security of the Armed Forces,” but confirmed that “the procurement has been prioritised through the Foreign Military Sales process, and the acquisition of this weapon will provide an interim stand-off capability for the F-35 Lightning fleet prior to the introduction of SPEAR 3.”
As the UK Defence Journal previously reported, the SDB-II procurement follows a prolonged period in which the F-35 fleet lacked an effective standoff air-to-surface weapon. A National Audit Office report in July 2025 stated plainly that the UK had not yet purchased an effective standoff air-to-surface weapon for the fleet, noting that funding for Small Diameter Bombs had been requested but not provided.
That position changed following a letter from MoD Permanent Secretary Jeremy Pocklington to the Public Accounts Committee in April 2026, confirming that approvals had been given to proceed with the Foreign Military Sales procurement.
The SDB-II is a glide weapon developed by RTX capable of engaging moving targets in all weather conditions at ranges significantly beyond those of the Paveway IV guided bomb currently carried by UK F-35Bs.
It is already integrated on the F-35B and has been used operationally by US Marine Corps aircraft, meaning the UK procurement does not require new integration work. SPEAR-3, the intended long-term precision standoff weapon for the F-35, has been repeatedly delayed and is not now expected to enter service until the early 2030s.
Surely It’s just a lever that connects to a release mechanism via a cable allowing it to Plop Off. ?
🤔
Isnt it the delivery rather than the integration that is being withheld. I assume because it won’t be any time soon.
As the weapon is already integrated into our F35B and the USMC has a store of them then effectively the weapon is available to us today in most war time scenarios as we frequently use US stores in combat operations.
So what’s the point of tipping off a potential adversary with a UK weapon delivery schedule for a weapon that won’t need an IOC or FOC.
We do exactly the same with AMRAAM purchases, the UK never announces when or how many it’s buying they are lumped together with US and other nation orders.
Not sure I would rely on access to US stocks anymore.
However if that was the case then no reason to hide the date, they could have just said we are aiming for X for UK delivery, in the meantime we have an agreement with the US for access to the missiles if needed.
Plus the pilots would need training on using them, which would require some missiles for training purposes.
I Interpret article headlines for the alternate meaning at times ! Basically, To deliver a bomb….
It’s difficult, I know.
No in an F-35 you have to go through about 20 levels of menu items… reboot… and try again. If that doesn’t work it’s out on the wing with an extended claw hammer hoping the auto pilot doesn’t release yah tether. 5th Gen is no easy matter to update doncha know.
Crawling out on the wing is 4th Gen. For 5th Gen, you have to pull the seat-back off and climb through into the weapon bay… Be careful of kicking the controls while you’re rummaging around behind the seat, though.
What’s on the Menu ? I’m guessing Prawn Cocktail for starters, 10oz Rump for mains and a nice Sticky Toffee pudding for desert ?
Doubt it. Likely to be loads more complicated than that. This is modern tech we are talking about.
SDB 2 uses the existing JDAM interface, so not sure what you’re talking about. Launching a JDAM is pretty simple. You can see examples of what the switchology looks like by watching youtube videos of the DCS flight-sim.
On the contrary, HMG harm it daily and have done through the modern era 1995 onward.
With what is going on around farage and the true source of the millions he received, I can’t help thinking HMG has probably been brought off decades ago by our enemies. It seems highly unlikely he or their Welsh leader who is now in prison, were the only ones taking money. There was also Boris putting a kgb spy into the lords, etc etc.
The conservatives under May blocked an investigation by the security services into Russian interference in our elections, and it’s not like labour has started one. I really think it’s time for a proper investigation and weed out the assets. It just feels like all parties have a vested interest in not doing so.
Did not buy many and want hush that up, state normal.
Exactly!
Delivered to Mar-a-Lago from 20,000ft?
Where’s Halfwit? Trump that!
I feel sad that the US MAGA govt have gone into an isolationist mindset and are doing themselves harm on the world stage and letting China and their pals strep in. Africa comes to mind and the withdrawl from aid plans there and elsewhere
They are right on some things though Europe needed to spend more on defence and the fracking revolution and results in the Permian basin now are truly astonishing
There was no real aid going to Africa, though. USAID is an acronym. USAID has always been a co-agency with the CIA. USAID was intended to basically spread bribe money around on the CIAs behalf. It’s actually a good thing that nest of vipers was shut down, as they were actively working against politicians in western countries.
….and do we trust the government?🤔
Good interim purchase for a weapon that will still remain useful even once SPEAR 3 is delivered. This weapon represents a real game changer in the RAF’s SEAD capabilities and with Russias diminished inventory even just our small force or 48 F35’s could make a sizeable dent in Russias ability to keep out other European Air Force’s from any conflict.
Having such a SEAD force with the ability to deploy from a carrier or improvised runway in Scandinavia is a major strategic threat to Moscow and it removes its key tactic of airbase saturation to prevent air interdiction by NATO.
As we have seen in the Gulf even with the best air and missile defences available, large airbases with in hundreds of miles of the conflict are close to useless now. The US heavily relied on its carriers in the conflict and Iran was completely unable to interfere with US navy operations off the coast in green or blue water.
The carriers ability to move presents the best form of defence against low cost saturation attacks and a Queen Elizabeth class with 24 F35B’s onboard represent one of the most powerful naval air wings on the planet today.
Definitely something to give Mad Vlad second thoughts about. Anti ship ballistic missiles appear to be an over blown threat at this stage. Warships can easily target them and kill chains over thousands of miles appear difficult to generate. Hypersonic’s may be over stated as the laws of physics appear to make it near on impossible for an object traveling beyond Mach five to have much if any control or sensor lock on due to plasma effects and high altitude super sonic weapons appear now to be easy to target.
Hopefully we see renewed commitment to fully realise an F35 force of 138 jets in the DIP on Monday.
Hi Jim.
Agree with that overall. The rudimentary runway thing though, don’t think we’ve tried that with a Lightning yet.
Seems rather more complex than a GR3 in a barn in a forest in Germany.
Hi Daniele, they operated from roads in Finland in 2024 but not quite the small FOB’s the GR3 use to use back in the Cold War days. With the drone saturation threat I think the main thing is to be able to operate over a wide area as opposed to being hidden from aerial view unlike the Cold War where being hidden was everything.
Did they really? That escaped me. RAF ones?
Norwegian F35A operating from Finland.
Ta. The Nordics are rather more adapt at that I feel with their defence dispersal planning.
The RAF I read has tried, and talks about it. The bare base exercises we saw operated from established airfields like St Mawgan.
Will be impressive to see.
Take off and landing on UK public roads would require at least 5 million cones, 100 empty lorries, two miles of H&S site safety Rules, 6000 Portaloo’s and One sleepy shovel leaning Worker In Hi-Vis and Hard Hat.
The aim would be to fill all Pot Holes by the mid 2030’s when the fines from the average speed camera’s have reached sufficient levels to afford a bucket of Tarmac.
Moving at pace !
@Jim
This is the biggest load of pure shite that I’ve seen on this blog for months. Almost every statement can be challenged for accuracy and/or relevance.
Did’nt you know that the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) carrier strike group was withdrawn from the Middle East/Gulf region in March 2026 after a massive fire broke out in the ship’s main laundry and auxiliary galley spaces following a reported direct hit? Over 200 of the crew required medical attention. I could go on
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 love it !
Surely they’d be proud to say we’ve got deep stocks of bombs and they’re delivering soon, right… Right???
We haven’t placed the order yet as the procurement was only approved a month ago on the UK side, so there won’t be a delivery timeline yet.
It still has to go through the US FMS process, with the LOA (Letter of Offer and Acceptance) negotiated and signed before anything is locked in. Only after that are production slots and delivery dates set.
LOL. (Letter of Lies)
I just made that up…. but It fits !
So a more accurate reply from Pollard would have been:
‘Chill fella! We only decided last month that we intend to buy SDB-II.’
But I suppose the wording of his answer makes it look like we are further along in the process.
Hu Nbelievable, pal!
Reports on SM that the DIP won’t now be our next Monday.
Talk of bad news in it influencing the by election.
Who’d have thought it!
I wonder how long it’ll be before NATO leaders start to criticise Starmer directly?
With the Russian drone hitting Romania one would hope it would be very soon, if not today! Time to put up (again).
There’s something I don’t understand. Somehow, the west managed to engineer a way for ancient MiG-29s that we have no source-code for to talk to JDAMs and even HARMs through an adapter pylon. If SPEAR-3 is considered such a critical capability, why has the British government not investigated putting adapter-logic in the pylon that holds the SPEAR-3s inside the F-35B’s weapon bay? It’s a kludge, but then all you need is safety-of-flight and safety-of-release, and you’re in business.
In other words, if the UK government wants to solve this, it can be solved, whether Lockheed’s involved or not.
Cos that would be a breach of contract, Lockheed can impose penalties and restrict services and parts to the UK. And that’s before the US Diplomatic reaction makes their reply much more serious.
But the reality is more down to the MOD’s history of aircraft modifications ending in failure and them dodging responsibility for cost cutting.
How would that be a breech of contract? Especially in the condition that Lockheed is late on the integration that the UK paid for. If anything, that becomes an item of negotiation.
I think that your second answer is closer to the mark.