Raytheon announced the test of a new ground-launched variant of the GBU-53 StormBreaker munition, developed, designed, and tested in just 50 days.
The test was conducted on a private range in the Mojave Desert, California, USA, using a commercial rocket motor, and the weapon reached an altitude of approximately 6,100 meters. According to the company, the new version retains the capabilities of the air-launched weapon but adds extended range and greater offensive flexibility, capable of hitting stationary or moving targets in various weather conditions.
The GBU-53/B, also known as the Small Diameter Bomb Increment II, is a smart, networked weapon capable of transferring control between platforms and integrating multi-domain operations. Equipped with a multi-effect warhead and a tri-mode seeker combining radar, infrared, and GPS, the StormBreaker offers precision and jam resistance, and can be launched from aircraft such as the F-15E and F-35, but now also from the ground.
Converting the weapon to a ground-launched version required a booster to achieve sufficient speed and altitude before glide flight, along with adjustments to the target acquisition system. Although there are precedents like the GBU-39 SDB and GLSDB, Raytheon is betting on the StormBreaker’s network capability and advanced seeker to differentiate its ground version, offering greater range, accuracy, and jam resistance, with additional tests planned for 2025.
Source: The Aviationist | Photo: X @vanguardintel | This content was created with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team
🇺🇸 Raytheon successfully tested a ground-launched variant of the network-enabled GBU-53B StormBreaker, designed, developed, and tested in just 50 days.
The GBU-53/B StormBreaker allows an aircraft to release the weapon and transfer control to another aircraft on the same… pic.twitter.com/6vR4cuFi22
— Vanguard Intel Group 🛡 (@vanguardintel) September 24, 2025
