Viper Strike bomb
Viper Strike bombMBDA

The United States has successfully tested a new high-precision glide bomb that can hit targets five kilometers away.

The GBU-44/E Viper Strike can strike targets both in the air and on the ground at a range of five kilometers (3.1 miles). It is guided by GPS-aided navigation, and laser positioning.

The Huntsville, Alabama-based facility at worldwide MBDA Incorporated produces the munition. It was launched from a Cessna Caravan test aircraft in the two-day test at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

During the test, the Viper Strike successfully hit eight vehicles traveling at extremely high speeds in varying scenarios, according to a report published in Defence Professionals.

Earlier this year, Israeli defense contractor Raytheon won a contract to produce the GBU-53 SDB-II, a deal worth more than $5 billion.

This bomb is meant to hit moving targets in any weather, using a combination of guidance modes, according to Defense Industry Daily. The contract covers production of some 17,000 weapons, with production set to begin in late 2013, and release of the bombs not predicted until the end of 2018.