Kristen Smith 
The U.S. Navy has added the Raytheon-built Small Diameter Bomb II, also known as StormBreaker, to the operational arsenal of its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft, expanding the strike fighter’s ability to conduct precision strikes in contested and degraded environments, RTX said Friday.
Naval Air Systems Command recently declared initial operational capability for the precision-guided munition on the Super Hornet, following limited early operational use in 2025. The milestone clears the weapon for fleet-wide employment.
“StormBreaker’s accuracy and versatility gives operators the upper hand in the most degraded environments, ensuring they can complete the mission and return home safely,” said Sam Deneke, president of air and space defense systems at Raytheon.
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What Capabilities Does StormBreaker Provide?
StormBreaker is designed to strike both moving and stationary targets in adverse weather over land or sea. The weapon uses a tri-mode seeker that integrates infrared, millimeter-wave radar and semi-active laser guidance, allowing it to track targets through fog, smoke and rain.
A two-way datalink enables in-flight retargeting, giving aircrews the ability to update mission data after weapon release. The Navy said the capability enhances flexibility during rapidly evolving operations.
How Is the Navy-Air Force Joint Program Expanding StormBreaker Deployment?
StormBreaker is part of a joint-interest program led by the U.S. Air Force. The munition reached Air Force initial operational capability on the F-15E in 2022 and is being integrated across additional platforms, including F-35 variants.
Production has continued under multiple contract actions over the past few years. In 2024, the Air Force increased the ceiling of a StormBreaker Increment II production contract to $600 million. Awards made in 2023 and 2024 funded the manufacturing of StormBreaker Lot 9 and Lot 10 for U.S. and allied customers, including several European partners.
Raytheon, an RTX business, produces the weapon in Tucson, Arizona. The Navy’s StormBreaker effort is managed by the Precision Strike Weapons Program Office, which oversees the Navy’s air-to-ground precision munitions portfolio.
