The US State Department has approved the possible sale of Small Diameter Bomb-Increment IIs (SDB-II) to Belgium.
A total of 196 SDB-II all-up-rounds, as well as training, maintenance, and logistical support were requested by Belgium for an estimated $115 million.
Brussels intends to arm its newly-procured fleet of 34 F-35s with the weapon, enhancing its deterrence.
“The proposed sale will improve Belgium’s capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining its F-35 fleet in combat-ready status and providing a credible deterrent to regional threats,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated in a press release.
RTX Corporation is the principal contractor.
Small Diameter Bomb-Increment II
Also known as the GBU-53/B StormBreaker, the SDB-II is an air-to-ground glide weapon featuring a tri-mode seeker — millimeter wave, imaging infrared, and semi-active laser — to hunt moving and stationary targets in adverse weather.
“Millimeter wave radar detects and tracks targets through adverse weather while imaging infrared provides enhanced target discrimination,” according to Raytheon.
“Semi-active laser enables the weapon to track an airborne laser designator or one on the ground.”
Additional Features
It features a 105-pound (47.6 kilograms) multimode shaped blast/fragmentation that autonomously prioritizes targets.
The StormBreaker uses a Global Positioning/Inertial Navigation System to steer itself toward the target and features a strike range of 45 miles (72 kilometers).
Meanwhile, the weapon achieved a 100 percent success rate during recent test launches from the F-35C Lightning II fighter jet, striking 14 out of 14 targets.
