Stormbreaker Reaches IOC On U.S. Navy’s F/A-18

The U.S. Navy on Feb. 19 announced it had cleared the GBU-53/B Stormbreaker Small Diameter Bomb Increment II for initial operational capability (IOC) on the Boeing F/A-18, more than two years after clearing it for early use.

Naval Air Systems Command (Navair) in an announcement said IOC was recently declared following limited early operational capability in 2025, when the weapon first saw real-world use.

The Raytheon-made, 250-lb. munition uses a tri-mode seeker that integrates infrared, millimeter-wave radar and semi-active laser guidance, allowing it to see through fog, smoke and rain, Navair said. It is also capable of inflight target updates from air or ground controllers.

“Bringing SDB II to the fleet gives our air crews a reliable way to hit targets in adverse weather conditions,” Tyler Alt, Navy SDB II program manager, said in the announcement. “This isn’t just about a new weapon; it lays the foundation for future Super Hornet weapon capabilities to provide the flexibility to update a mission in real time, even after the bomb has been released.”

The munition is operational on the U.S. Air Force’s F-15E and is also being integrated on the F-35 and F-16C/D. It entered service on the Strike Eagles in 2020.