SGB-32 Precision Guided Small Directed Bomb
Role: Precision Guided Bomb
Length: 1.8 m
Diameter: 210 mm
Weight: 129 kg
Warhead: 55 kg of PBXN 120
Guidance: SACHERI-aided systems, thermal seeker, radar with automatic target recognition, GPS-aided inertial navigation systems, up to the moment tracking and guidance, automatic post-launch self-updating differential GPS, anti-spoofing and ECM systems.
Circular Error Probability: 1.1 m
Cost: $30,000
Abstract
The SGB-32 is a precision guided, all-weather, high-explosive bomb developed by the Theocracy to improve the lethality of a wide array of weapon platforms. Collateral damage is reduced, but that is a side affect of the increased penetration and drop to kill ration inherent in its smaller diameter of explosion.
Design
Each SGB-32 comes in a steel casing with electronics inside of the bomb itself. Once dropped, two fins pop out to stabilize it and guide it. The lightweight nature of the casing due to Marshite practices and the miniaturization of electronics, as well as the ability to connect to SACHERI, allows the bomb to come under weight from initial design specifications. This left more room for the explosive filler of the bomb, which is extensive. 55 kilograms of high explosive PBXN-120 is used, a high stability mixture 1.6 times the destructive power of TNT. The use of such much filler, and the type of it, gives the SGB-32 the destructive capability of a much larger bomb.
However, there is another design element to consider. The SGB-32's tip is considerably heavier and made out of tungsten. While reaching the target, the SGB-32 will eventually point towards its target. Upon detonation, the explosive force of the SGB-32 will be directed where the tip is pointing. This reduces the diameter of the explosion enough to reduce collateral damage, but the primary benefit is directing the blast forces and fragmentation towards the target. It can penetrate through 8 feet of steel reinforced concrete.
It has multiple fuses that are selected upon acquisition of target. It can airburst, detonate upon impact, or detonate after penetration as been achieved. SACHERI guidance systems give it thermal seeker and radar with automatic target recognition, GPS-aided inertial navigation systems, up to the moment tracking and guidance, automatic post-launch self-updating differential GPS, and anti-spoofing and ECM systems. Once launched, the SGB-32 will guide tself to the target and will attack the target with the optimal method of doing so.
Testing
The SGB-32 was tested using six different platforms: The MAF-50 Pegasus, The MAF-50S Silent Pegasus, MAF-51 Drake, ASH-12 Buzzer Armed Scout Helicopter, and MIHB-17 Mailed Fist Strategic Bomber. Each one would run twenty attack sorties with a combat compliment of SGB-32s for maximum data.
The MAF-50 Pegasus was the first one to run its sorties, averaging 24 SGB-32s per sortie. It averaged 23 hits at a range of 120 km against stationary targets and 65 km against moving targets. The ability to carry a large amount of bombs and move quickly away was seen as a huge positive and a good costing saving measure.
The MAF-50S Silent Pegasus was next. The internal weapons bay was designed with the SGB-32 in mind, and it averaged 20 SGB-32s per sortie. Because it was able to strike targets at a much closer distance, it only missed one target (moving). Because of the construction of the internal bays and the SGB-32s inherent ability to not be detected allowed the MAF-50S to maintain a stealth profile.
The MAF-51 Drake carried 44 SGB-32s on average per sortie, averaging 43 hits. Not only does this allow it to hit more targets, but the power of the SGB-32 and the number of bombs the Drake can carry allows it to double up on especially hardened structures or vehicles. An SGB-32, thanks to its guidance and power of its warhead which puts its destructive potential on par with most 1,000 pounders, in the hands of a Drake is a potent attack weapon.
The small ASH-12 was capable of carrying 6 SGB-32s per sortie. It gave it a superior anti-armor and anti-bunker weapon system, and it hit every time. This demonstrated the ability of the SGB-32 to be used bu even the smallest helicopters in the Marshite arsenal.
The MIHB-17 Mailed Fist can carry almost 2,000 SGB-32s on average. Averaging 1940 hits per sortie, the MIHB-17 was able to maintain an outrageous campaign against ground targets.
The potential for aircraft was clear. The SGB-32 was a highly destructive bomb in a small case, yet the directed nature and precision guided nature of the weapon system reduced collateral damage while directing the power of the bomb to hardened and light enemy targets. The drop to death ratio of the SGB-32 was nearly six times that of the next closes precision guided bomb in its class, and four times that of the Small Diameter Bomb. Its ease of use is such that any Covenant Arms and Lyran Arms helicopter or aircraft could use it and it can be modified for use in any similar platform. The ability of the Sgb to use the battlespace network to track and destroy targets gave it a superior ability to not only do that, but gave firing platforms the ability to fire and forget. As opposed to most other precision weaponry which requires the firing platform to aid post-firing, the SGB is able to guide itself to its target.
Combat Testing was conducted by Stan Marsi of the 13th Testing deploying it during a campaign against Schanstani insurgents, who had been allowed to acquire several used M1A4 main battle tanks. In conjunction with the MAF-50S Silent Pegasus, also being deployed at the same time as part of a testing campaign, the SGB-32 performed flawlessy. In twenty-six sorties, the Silent Pegasus was able to eliminate a dozen targets on average without losing a stealth profile, thanks in large part to the abilities of the SGB-32.
Ranger Multiple Rocket Launch Forces utilized a variant that could be fired from prototype MRLS systems. The tests were successful.
The SGB-32 was an unqualified success. It features a warhead that places it among the 750-pound family, yet was so focused that it becomes an outrageous force multiplier. It achieved similar results to guided 1,000 pound bombs at a smaller weight and reduced cost. Stan Marsi gave it his stamp of approval and after a review by Covenant Arms, it was deployed en masse to the Marshite Military.
Export
One SGB-32 can be purchased for $30,000 from Covenant Arms. DPRs available at $3 billion.