Raytheon has secured a $708.9 million contract from the US Department of Defense to produce Small Diameter Bomb II (StormBreaker) systems. The contract encompasses all-up rounds as well as supporting equipment such as test systems, containers, and spare parts.
The weapons will be delivered to several partner nations, including South Korea, Italy, Canada, Germany, Norway, Finland, Belgium, and Switzerland. Manufacturing will be carried out at Raytheon’s Tucson, Arizona facility, with completion expected by March 2030.
Oversight of the contract will be handled by the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The agreement follows US approvals in December 2025 for Canada’s acquisition of small-diameter bombs, alongside additional authorizations for Poland, Japan, and Romania within the same year.
Known as the GBU-53B StormBreaker, the weapon is a precision-guided air-to-surface bomb that integrates GPS, inertial navigation, and data link technologies to strike both fixed and moving targets. Compact in design—208 pounds (94 kilograms) in weight, 69 inches (175 centimeters) long, and up to 7 inches (18 centimeters) in diameter—it allows aircraft to carry more munitions while limiting unintended damage.
The bomb offers a range of over 40 nautical miles (74 kilometers) and is currently operational on the F-15E Strike Eagle. Efforts are underway to integrate it with other advanced aircraft, including the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the F-35 Lightning II.
