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The U.S. Air Force has successfully tested a smaller, more agile version of its ship-killing “Quicksink” precision bomb. The 500-pound version of the weapon, developed from a GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), was dropped by a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber over the Gulf Test Range off the coast of Florida, the Air Force announced in a statement on June 4.

The latest test is part of the ongoing evolution from earlier Quicksink trials that utilized 2,000-pound bombs based on the GBU-31 JDAM. The new version offers greater flexibility in combat operations.

The bomb could prove especially critical in a hypothetical conflict with China over Taiwan, where U.S. forces would need the capacity to neutralize enemy ships quickly and efficiently across the vast Pacific theater.

“Quicksink offers an affordable, game-changing solution to rapidly and efficiently sink maritime targets,” said Col. Dan Lehoski, commander of the 53rd Wing at Eglin Air Force Base. “AFRL’s 500-pound Quicksink variant adds options for the warfighter and enhances operational flexibility.”

Quicksink anti-ship bomb

Quicksink is a product of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), part of a broader initiative to develop low-cost, precision anti-ship weapons using modified existing munitions. By repurposing the widely used JDAM, a GPS-guided bomb typically used for land targets, AFRL aims to transform air-delivered munitions into a cheaper, rapidly deployable alternative to costly naval torpedoes.

Unlike traditional torpedoes, which travel underwater to strike their targets, Quicksink bombs strike from above, entering the water with a specially engineered nose plug that prevents ricocheting off the water’s surface. This critical design innovation addresses a known flaw in standard JDAMs, where the bomb’s stock nose configuration could lead to unpredictable skips off the water rather than clean impacts.

“AFRL previously said that it redesigned the JDAM’s nose plug to better suit it for maritime strikes,” the statement noted. “A stock JDAM nose might cause the bomb to carom off the surface of the water in unexpected directions instead of striking its target, AFRL said, but the Quicksink redesign is meant to keep it on target.”

In essence, Quicksink transforms existing air-dropped bombs into ship-killing weapons capable of sinking vessels in a matter of seconds, a fact dramatically demonstrated in a 2022 video that showed a Quicksink bomb cleaving a ship in half during a live test.

Strategic relevance

This development is not occurring in a vacuum. As geopolitical tensions between the United States and China continue to escalate, particularly over Taiwan and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, the ability to quickly neutralize Chinese maritime assets is increasingly seen as vital to U.S. operational planning.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has rapidly expanded its fleet, which now includes aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and a growing arsenal of anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities. U.S. military strategists recognize that any potential conflict with China would likely involve intense naval engagements across vast stretches of open ocean. In such a scenario, the ability to project anti-ship firepower from stealth platforms like the B-2 bomber would be a critical asymmetric advantage.

The B-2’s ability to penetrate enemy airspace undetected and deliver precision weapons makes it an ideal platform for deploying the 500-pound Quicksink. The smaller bomb size allows for multiple munitions to be carried on a single sortie, expanding the bomber’s utility in a maritime strike role and giving combatant commanders more tactical options.

Though AFRL has declined to release specific details about the timing or mechanics of the latest test due to security concerns, its implications are clear. By incorporating lighter versions of the Quicksink bomb into the B-2 arsenal, the Air Force gains the ability to engage smaller and mid-sized naval targets more efficiently without overcommitting resources or risking larger, more expensive munitions.

Cost-effective force multiplication

The financial and logistical benefits of Quicksink also cannot be overstated. Traditional anti-ship torpedoes are expensive, typically requiring submarine or surface vessel platforms for deployment. Quicksink bombs, by contrast, are significantly cheaper and can be launched from a wide range of aerial platforms already in the U.S. inventory.

This approach reflects a broader Pentagon strategy of adapting existing systems to meet new threats, thereby increasing lethality without incurring the delays or costs associated with entirely new weapons development programs.

The Quicksink initiative also dovetails with the Air Force’s push for operational agility. In a war scenario that includes contested airspace, distributed operations, and rapid response requirements, having a variety of weapon sizes and delivery options enables more adaptive mission planning and execution.

Classified footage

Though AFRL confirmed the success of the latest test, it said video footage from the B-2’s strike is classified and would not be released. Still, based on prior publicly available tests, Quicksink’s destructive potential is already well-documented.

The earlier 2022 footage showed the Quicksink munition racing toward a decommissioned vessel before detonating with such precision and force that the ship split apart and sank almost immediately, demonstrating the weapon’s tactical utility in real-world combat situations.

Going forward, defense analysts expect the Air Force to continue refining the system, possibly integrating Quicksink with other aircraft like the F-15EX, F-35, or MQ-9 Reaper drones. This would further expand the U.S. military’s ability to counter naval threats across multiple domains and platforms.

For now, the successful deployment of a lighter, more versatile version of Quicksink marks a major milestone in America’s evolving maritime strike doctrine, one that underscores both innovation and urgency as Washington prepares for potential flashpoints in the Indo-Pacific.