The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of GBU-53/B SDB-II (Stormbreaker) bombs to Belgium for use on F-35 fighter jets. The approval announced on DSCA consists of 196 units of GBU-53/B SDB-II small-diameter bombs for an estimated price of $115 million. GBU-53/B, compared to its predecessor GBU-39, features significantly improved guidance capabilities with a tri-mode seeker. The seeker adds the combination of laser, IIR, and mmW radar guidance to the existing GPS+INS package.
The bomb can deliver a 48 kg warhead up to a range of 74 km against moving targets or 110+ km against static targets, depending on launch conditions like speed and altitude. GBU-53/B is compatible with the smart rack originally developed for GBU-39/B with four slots. The rack can be carried by F-15E, F-22, and F/A-18E/F fighters other than F-35. The U.K. was also considered a powered GBU-53/B variant for its F-35 fighter jets, but it opted for the jet-powered SPEAR 3 missile with identical dimensions.
