Washington / Oslo — The U.S. Department of State has approved a potential military sale of GBU-39B Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs) and similar equipment to Norway, a Pentagon statement accessed by Reuters.
This transaction is estimated at $113 million USD, or more than 1.1 billion Norwegian kroner. What Does the Deal Include? The approval includes the funding for delivery of GBU-39B SDBs, all equipment support for these same deliveries, as well as corresponding supporting services. Although the full particulars of the package have not been revealed, the authorization is a component of the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Future negotiations and congressional scrutiny will determine final contracts. Regarding the GBU-39B Small Diameter Bomb. The GBU-39B SDB is a precision-guided glide bomb that weighs about 250 pounds (110 kg).
It promotes aircraft to carry more bombs per mission and can be hit very accurately against targets with a minimum of collateral damage. GPS/INS guidance enables use of the bomb all day and night. Key characteristics:
Weight: ~110 kg. Direction: GPS-aided inertial navigation. Operationally: Precision strikes with minimum collateral damage. Developer: Boeing, with integration across multiple U.S. and NATO aircraft. Strategic Importance for Norway.
This potential sale highlights the deepening defense cooperation between the United States and Norway, a NATO ally. By purchasing the GBU-39B, Norway would have added greatly to the aviation flexibility of its forces, mainly as the F-35 fighter jets are in service.
Force multiplier: There are more weapons per sortie, which are more mission-efficient.
Minimized collateral damage: The accuracy means more targeted, politically defensible use of force.
NATO interoperability: Aligns Norway’s strike capabilities with U.S. and allied standards.
Next Steps.
Like all U.S. arms sales, the transaction requires a review by Congress for final contracts to be signed. Once cleared, under the guidance of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), deliveries and training will follow. Wider Context. Norway has been continuously updating and strengthening its security forces in response to shifting security dynamics in Europe.
The sale is also part of a string of acquisitions that seek to beef up the nation’s deterrent capabilities and bolster NATO’s collective defense posture.