The US State Department has approved the sale of over 500 StormBreaker air-to-ground munitions to Norway.
The approval to sell 580 GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bombs-Increment II (SDB-II) is in addition to an earlier approval of 20 SDB-II for an estimated $18.9 million.
The sale’s total estimated cost is $293 million.
Enhances F-35A Fleet’s Capabilities
The smart munition sale for Norway’s F-35A fleet will bolster the country’s air and defense capabilities, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency wrote in a statement.
“We see StormBreaker as an essential component in achieving the full operational capability of our F-35 fleet,” Brig. Gen. Sigurd Fongen said last year.
“The weapon will bring significant capability against stationary and moving targets at stand-off ranges, further enhancing the Norwegian Air Force’s ability to maintain national and regional security alongside our allies,” the Norwegian Defence Staff F-35 project office head added.
A ‘Smart’ Bomb
The 200-pound (91 kilograms) munition’s tri-mode seeker enables it “to see through fog, smoke, and rain to glide over 45 miles (72 kilometers) and strike at a fixed or moving target on land or at sea,” according to Raytheon.
The defense contractor further claims that the munition, consisting of “shape charge jets, fragmentation, and blast charge effects,” can destroy a tank.