GBU - 44 / B Viper Strike The GBU - 44 / B Viper Strike glide bomb is a GPS - aided laser - guided variant of the Northrop Grumman Brilliant Anti - Tank ( BAT ) munition which originally had a combination acoustic and IR seeker . The system was initially intended for use from UAV s , and it is also planned to integrate the weapon with the Lockheed AC - 130 gunship , giving that aircraft a precision stand - off capability . The Viper Strike is now produced by MBDA . History . Testing . The Viper Strike bomb first underwent testing in 2003 . On March 29 and 30 , Viper Strikes released from an RQ - 5 Hunter UAV scored 7 out of 10 direct hits at White Sands Missile Range . The other two bombs missed their targets by a few feet but still inflicted measurable damage . The objective of the tests was to validate the concept of the Viper Strike and the operational feasibility of Viper Strike integrated on the Hunter UAV . In June 2005 , Northrop integrated the Global Positioning System ( GPS ) into the laser - guided munition to provide highly accurate midcourse guidance . This allowed the weapon to be launched from much greater altitude and standoff range . During tests , an unarmed weapon successfully acquired GPS data after dispensing from an aircraft and flew to pre - assigned GPS waypoints . Following an extended , nearly horizontal midcourse flight , the GPS - enhanced munition switched over to the semi - active laser seeker once it entered the target area to detect and track the laser - designated target . In January 2007 , Viper Strikes successfully destroyed a series of moving and stationary targets in testing at the White Sands Missile Range . They were guided to their targets by the Hunter UAV ' s laser targeting system . Deployment and Continued Tests . The GBU - 44 / B Viper Strike was first used in combat in September 2007 . An MQ - 5A Hunter UAV used one to kill two men who were setting up a roadside bomb . On September 1 , 2009 , it was reported that the Hunter had successfully completed testing of the new GPS - guided Viper Strike weapons system and that it would soon deploy to theater . On June 2 , 2010 , Northrop announced that the Viper Strike would be added to the United States Marine Corps ' KC - 130J refueling and cargo aircraft . Northrop delivered 65 munitions . On December 12 , 2011 , MBDA Inc . purchased Northrop Grumman ' s Viper Strike munitions business located in Huntsville , Alabama . The purchase was the company ' s first acquisition in the U . S . as part of their growth strategy to position MBDA as a leading precision munitions firm and give them a stronger capability in the growing market to create and produce new weapons for unmanned aerial vehicles . On April 16 , 2012 , Viper Strike bombs scored multiple direct hits from a KC - 130J Harvest Hawk at the Naval Air Warfare Center ' s China Lake , California Weapons Station . The munitions were dropped from the new pressurized " derringer door , " which uses a side door in the fuselage that enables the aircraft to launch and reload munitions while the aircraft remains pressurized . In August 2012 , MBDA announced that Viper Strike munitions scored direct hits against high speed vehicles during a two - day test . Viper Strikes successfully hit eight vehicles travelling at " extremely high speeds " in varying realistic scenarios .