The US State Department has approved a AIM-9X Block II/Block II+ sale for Belgian F-35A Lightning II fighters and a GBU-39B sale for Norwegian fighters.
The US State Department's approval for two munition sales on the same day for two European countries, AIM-9X Block II and Block II+ WVRAAMs for Belgian F-35A fighters and a large amount of GBU-39B SDBs for Norwegian F-35A fighters, was announced on DSCA.
The sale to Belgium for an estimated cost of $567.8 million includes 320 AIM-9X Block II missiles and 258 AIM-9X Block II+ Sidewinder missiles, totalling 578 WVRAAMs. AIM-9X Block II+ is an adaptation of AIM-9X Block II for F-35 with coatings to reduce the RCS due to F-35’s current inability to carry the missile internally.
On the other hand, the sale to Norway for an estimated cost of $113 million includes 816 GBU-39B SDB Increment I bombs. These bombs are understood to be intended for F-35A fighters, which have become operational as the only fighter type. F-35A can carry GBU-39B and the newer GBU-53B SDBs in its internal weapon bays.
