Air Force Special Operations Command’s (AFSOC) MQ-9 Reaper fleet has added the GBU-39B Small Diameter Bomb to its operational arsenal, expanding the remotely piloted aircraft’s precision strike capabilities.

The GBU-39B is a 250-pound glide bomb carrying about 36 pounds of high explosive. When released from sufficient altitude and speed, it can glide up to 60 miles and strike within one meter of its intended target, according to Air Force data.

According to an AFSOC press release, the GBU-39B entered service with MQ-9 Reapers assigned to the 27th Special Operations Wing (SOW) in spring 2026.

Officials said the weapon’s range lets MQ-9 crews strike targets while staying outside enemy air defense systems. 

“In this shifting battlespace, adversaries layer lethal obstacles to deny us,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Joshua Swann, an MQ-9 squadron commander assigned to the 27th SOW. “The GBU-39’s reach guarantees we can stay in a fight under hostile threats and continue to solve the joint force’s hard tactical problems.”

Officials also said its low-yield, all-weather, precision-guided design allows it to engage targets effectively in complex conditions while reducing collateral damage.

“When striking targets, our intent is to maximize effects and minimize collateral damage,” said an MQ-9 pilot assigned to the 27th SOW. “Carrying a higher number of low-yield munitions allows us to stay on station longer and provide more effective support to our troops on the ground.”

The GBU-39B has been in U.S. Air Force service since 2006 and has been widely used across the force. 

Officials say more than 17,000 of the weapons have been employed by U.S. and partner nations on aircraft ranging from fighters to bombers and gunships in both counterterrorism and large-scale conventional operations.

The munition is also used by other platforms within the 27th SOW, including the AC-130 Ghostrider II, which can carry up to eight of the bombs.