GBU-53/B StormBreaker

The GBU-53/B StormBreaker, initially designated as the Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB-II), is an air-launched, precision-guided glide bomb. Development began in 2006 to produce a weapon capable of identifying and striking mobile targets from standoff ranges in adverse weather conditions. The weapon's first flight occurred on May 1, 2009. Following developmental testing, the system received Milestone C approval in May 2015, clearing the weapon for low-rate initial production.

The GBU-53/B is designed to engage both stationary and moving targets. For mid-course guidance, the weapon utilizes GPS-coupled inertial navigation, with course corrections provided via a Link 16 UHF data link. Terminal guidance is achieved through a tri-mode seeker integrating millimeter-wave radar, semi-active laser homing, and infrared homing via an uncooled imaging infrared camera. The system can fuse data from these sensors to classify and prioritize targets semi-autonomously. The weapon is equipped with a shaped charge warhead that produces blast and fragmentation effects, making it effective against infantry, armored vehicles, unhardened structures, and patrol craft. It is designed to serve as a purpose-built no-drive zone enforcement weapon. To maximize carriage capacity, the munition is compatible with pneumatic multi-stores carriage systems and smart multiple carriage racks, allowing for internal carriage on fifth-generation fighters and external carriage on various strike aircraft.

The GBU-53/B entered service in September 2020, when the United States Air Force approved it for operational flight on the F-15E Strike Eagle. The United States Navy declared early operational capability on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in October 2023. The weapon is also designated for integration on the F-35 Lightning II. The first recorded combat deployment occurred in March 2025, when U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets launched from the USS Harry S. Truman deployed the weapon during nighttime strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen.

The primary operators of the GBU-53/B are the United States Air Force, United States Navy, and United States Marine Corps. The weapon has also been ordered or selected by several export customers, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, and the United Kingdom, which acquired the system as an interim capability for its F-35B fleet.