Latest news with #StormBreaker
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
It looks like a StormBreaker may have landed intact in Yemen, raising the risk the US bomb could fall into the wrong hands
The US Navy appears to be using new "StormBreaker" glide bombs against the Houthis. What appeared to be one of these guided munitions was spotted in the sand in Yemen this week. Fully intact wreckage could be exploited by US adversaries, including Iran. US fighter jets appear to be using advanced "StormBreaker" precision glide bombs in combat against the Houthis, part of the intense bombing campaign against the Iran-backed rebels. An image of what looked like an unexploded, US-made bomb half-buried in the sand began circulating on social media Thursday. Open-source intelligence accounts geolocated the image to Yemen's southern Shabwah governorate. Trevor Ball, a former US Army explosive ordnance disposal technician, identified the munition as the GBU-53/B StormBreaker, a relatively new munition in the American arsenal. He told Business Insider that the discovery of the bomb, seemingly fully intact, highlights a problem: it could fall into the wrong hands. The GBU-53/B, known as the Small Diameter Bomb Increment II, is an air-launched standoff weapon with precision guidance and pop-out wings. The 200-pound bomb is made by US defense contractor Raytheon, now RTX, and can be released from carrier-based fighter aircraft like the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The weapon can be used against moving and stationary targets and is capable of operating in inclement weather, according to Naval Air Systems Command. The bomb can also receive updated target coordinates mid-flight. In October 2023, the Navy declared early operational capability for the StormBreaker and said its Super Hornets would be the first platforms to carry the bomb. US Central Command, which oversees Middle East operations, published footage last month appearing to show the StormBreaker among other ordnance aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, which has been at the forefront of the Houthi conflict. The War Zone, which first reported on Friday on the StormBreaker's discovery in Yemen, spotted evidence last month that the Navy had used the munition for the first time in combat. The image of the apparent StormBreaker looks to be the clearest sign that the US is using this weapon against the Houthis. That the munition is fully intact suggests air defenses did not take it out. A defense official declined to answer BI's questions about the incident or provide further details. Ball, a researcher at Armament Research Services, said the risk in this situation is that Iran, which has long supported the Houthis, could get its hands on the StormBreaker. "The Iranians are notorious for reverse engineering weapons systems and creating their own versions," Ball said. "The quicker Iran can acquire weapons to exploit relative to the US fielding them, the more Iran can try to narrow gaps in their capabilities." This could even go on to benefit Russia, which has enjoyed increasingly close defense ties with Iran since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ball explained that although the StormBreaker was reportedly found in an area of Yemen that the Houthis don't control, "it highlights the risk of unexploded munitions ending up in Iranian possession," especially given that there are likely highly classified components in the munition. "The greater the scale of airstrikes and use, the more likely this becomes," Ball said, adding that the same risk applies to the AGM-158, which the US has been using against the Houthis. The AGM-158, or Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), is a stealthy, long-range cruise missile developed by Lockheed Martin. The JASSM and StormBreaker are standoff weapons, meaning that aircraft can release them from a distance and avoid Houthi air defenses, unlike conventional gravity bombs dropped directly over a target. The US also appears to be using the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), among other advanced munitions, against the Houthis. The US has been bombing the Houthis for six weeks straight to get the rebels to stop their attacks on Red Sea shipping. The military has publicly disclosed very few details about the intense campaign since the early days, though it acknowledged striking a major Houthi-controlled oil terminal last week. Dozens of people were reportedly killed in the attack. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that the US has attacked hundreds of Houthi targets since the campaign began and decimated its leadership. However, analysts have cast doubt that the strikes will effectively eliminate the rebels' capabilities; previous stikres haven't. Just a few days ago, for instance, they fired missiles at Israel. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
25-04-2025
- General
- Business Insider
It looks like a StormBreaker may have landed intact in Yemen, raising the risk the US bomb could fall into the wrong hands
US fighter jets appear to be using advanced "StormBreaker" precision glide bombs in combat against the Houthis, part of the intense bombing campaign against the Iran-backed rebels. An image of what looked like an unexploded, US-made bomb half-buried in the sand began circulating on social media Thursday. Open-source intelligence accounts geolocated the image to Yemen's southern Shabwah governorate. Trevor Ball, a former US Army explosive ordnance disposal technician, identified the munition as the GBU-53/B StormBreaker, a relatively new munition in the American arsenal. He told Business Insider that the discovery of the bomb, seemingly fully intact, highlights a problem: it could fall into the wrong hands. حُطام صاروخ عثر عليه مواطنون في منطقة عسيلان محافظة شبوة شمالي شرق اليمن. — ديفانس لاين (@defenseliney) April 24, 2025 The GBU-53/B, known as the Small Diameter Bomb Increment II, is an air-launched standoff weapon with precision guidance and pop-out wings. The 200-pound bomb is made by US defense contractor Raytheon, now RTX, and can be released from carrier-based fighter aircraft like the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The weapon can be used against moving and stationary targets and is capable of operating in inclement weather, according to Naval Air Systems Command. The bomb can also receive updated target coordinates mid-flight. In October 2023, the Navy declared early operational capability for the StormBreaker and said its Super Hornets would be the first platforms to carry the bomb. US Central Command, which oversees Middle East operations, published footage last month appearing to show the StormBreaker among other ordnance aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, which has been at the forefront of the Houthi conflict. The War Zone, which first reported on Friday on the StormBreaker's discovery in Yemen, spotted evidence last month that the Navy had used the munition for the first time in combat. The image of the apparent StormBreaker looks to be the clearest sign that the US is using this weapon against the Houthis. That the munition is fully intact suggests air defenses did not take it out. A defense official declined to answer BI's questions about the incident or provide further details. Ball, a researcher at Armament Research Services, said the risk in this situation is that Iran, which has long supported the Houthis, could get its hands on the StormBreaker. "The Iranians are notorious for reverse engineering weapons systems and creating their own versions," Ball said. "The quicker Iran can acquire weapons to exploit relative to the US fielding them, the more Iran can try to narrow gaps in their capabilities." This could even go on to benefit Russia, which has enjoyed increasingly close defense ties with Iran since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ball explained that although the StormBreaker was reportedly found in an area of Yemen that the Houthis don't control, "it highlights the risk of unexploded munitions ending up in Iranian possession," especially given that there are likely highly classified components in the munition. "The greater the scale of airstrikes and use, the more likely this becomes," Ball said, adding that the same risk applies to the AGM-158, which the US has been using against the Houthis. The AGM-158, or Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), is a stealthy, long-range cruise missile developed by Lockheed Martin. The JASSM and StormBreaker are standoff weapons, meaning that aircraft can release them from a distance and avoid Houthi air defenses, unlike conventional gravity bombs dropped directly over a target. The US also appears to be using the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), among other advanced munitions, against the Houthis. The US has been bombing the Houthis for six weeks straight to get the rebels to stop their attacks on Red Sea shipping. The military has publicly disclosed very few details about the intense campaign since the early days, though it acknowledged striking a major Houthi-controlled oil terminal last week. Dozens of people were reportedly killed in the attack. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that the US has attacked hundreds of Houthi targets since the campaign began and decimated its leadership. However, analysts have cast doubt that the strikes will effectively eliminate the rebels' capabilities; previous stikres haven't. Just a few days ago, for instance, they fired missiles at Israel.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
StormBreaker Advanced Glide Bomb Lands In Yemen Largely Intact
The wreckage of a GBU-53/B StormBreaker glide bomb, also known as the Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II), has appeared in Yemen. The weapon, which was only recently confirmed as being used in combat in that country, offers some very advanced capabilities, especially over the previous GBU-39/B SDB I. It is set to become one of America's most important and widely employed weapons, across its own aerial fleets and many of its allies. With that in mind, the technological risk of the remains of this still near-completely intact weapon falling into an adversary's hands is significant. Photos showing the StormBreaker laying in the sand began to circulate recently on social media. Reportedly, the weapon was found by citizens in the Asilan area within the Shabwah governorate, a region in southeast Yemen (not in the northeast of the country, as some accounts have implied). The weapon has clearly not detonated and appears to have had its impact cushioned by desert sand, leaving it in one piece. its pop-out wings are seen in a partially deployed position. It's unclear what happened to the StormBreaker, but the relatively limited nature of the damage strongly suggests it had had a technical failure, rather than being brought down by enemy fire. We don't know if this is the first time this has happened, but it appears to be the first time it has been publicly documented. A month ago, TWZ reported on what appeared to be the first evidence of the StormBreaker being used in combat by the U.S. Navy, after official videos were published showing missions against the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen. This included footage of StormBreakers being carried by U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, as well as being prepared by armorers about the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Restoring freedom of navigation#HouthisAreTerrorists — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 23, 2025 U.S Navy ammunition handlers aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) prepare ordnance for Carrier Air Wing One (CVW-1).#HouthisAreTerrorists — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 21, 2025 The new photos of the StormBreaker wreckage in Yemen confirm that the weapon has actually been used in combat. As we have reported in the past, many of the StormBreaker's key advantages lie in the weapon's tri-mode guidance system, which can find targets using imaging infrared or millimeter-wave radar or by employing semi-active laser homing to hit a designated aimpoint. Another notable feature of the StormBreaker is its ability to communicate with the aircraft carrying it via onboard datalink. This means the weapon can be launched and, if required, redirected to a new target once in flight, as well as receiving regular midcourse updates. The weapon can also glide fully on its own guidance using a GPS-assisted inertial navigation system, after which it can strike a specific coordinate or begin searching for a target. This provides considerable flexibility, with the weapon able to engage both stationary and moving targets, including at night or in bad weather, at standoff distances. Based on figures released by the U.S. Air Force, the StormBreaker can hit stationary targets at a maximum of 69 miles and moving targets at 45 miles. The StormBreaker's compact dimensions — including a length of just 69 inches, and a diameter of no more than seven inches — and relatively light weight of 204 pounds mean that an individual aircraft can carry a significant quantity, allowing more targets to be prosecuted. So far, however, the F/A-18E/F has only been seen carrying StormBreaker on twin smart racks, as evidenced aboard the USS Harry S. Truman during the Houthi strikes. The StormBreaker is being used as part of ongoing strikes by the U.S. military against Houthi targets in Yemen, launched by President Donald Trump last month, as we reported at the time. This latest campaign was spurred by the Houthis saying they would resume attacks on Israeli-linked ships over the blockade of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. As well as the StormBreaker, airstrikes against the Houthis have seen a wide variety of interesting weapons employed, including a significant proportion of standoff types. Among these, the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) glide bomb has been prominent, as well as the AGM-84H/K Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) missile, and the more familiar Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM). Earlier this week, we saw an EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft carrying four AGM-88 series missiles, as you can read about here. The extensive use of standoff weaponry, as well as the employment of B-2 stealth bombers, reflects the real threat posed by the Houthis' air defense arsenal, something that you can read about in depth here. Most obviously, the Yemeni militants have been able to down a significant number of U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones. A U.S. defense official told TWZ earlier this week that the militants have or are suspected to have brought down six MQ-9s since March 15. Last month, an unnamed U.S. defense official told Stars and Stripes that the Houthis had downed 12 Reapers since October 2023. Returning to the StormBreaker wreckage, the fact that this is now very likely in Houthi hands, as well as being notably intact, means that it could present a fairly significant intelligence windfall. Bearing in mind the Houthis' sponsorship by Iran and that country's military and broader strategic connections to both China and Russia, it's very conceivable that technologies from the weapon could now be exploited by some of America's key adversaries. In particular, the tri-mode guidance system would be of great interest, as is its datalink and navigation suite. Access to this kind of technology could help any of these countries in the development of their own weapons and, just as critically, reveal weaknesses in the U.S.-made system that could be exploited in terms of countermeasures. Along with the guidance package, each StormBreaker is packed with other high-tech components, including other electronics, a potent but compact warhead, and even the materials used in its construction. All of these would also warrant close study by an adversary. This is especially true as this advanced weapon that is packed with high-end capabilities will that will be a backbone of U.S. weapons stocks going forward, including being a primary weapon for the F-35. It can be used to prosecute armored formations, SAM sites, and ships, among other target sets. So being able to dissect its exact capabilities and technological advancements is a big deal. While many weapons have been lost in a semi-intact state in Ukraine, none have been this new or densely packed with capabilities. It would be near the top of Russia and China's list of weapons with disruptive capabilities that they would want to copy for their own use and examine in order to learn how to better defend against it. Of course, before the StormBreaker was used in Yemen, the technological risk involved would have been considered. After all, whatever the reliability of weapons like this, every weapon has a failure rate and there's always a possibility they will fall into an adversary's hands once exposed to combat. But one falling into the enemy's hands in such an intact state is certainly an unwelcome development for the Pentagon. Contact the author: thomas@
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Super Hornets Are Now Carrying Stormbreaker Glide Bombs On Combat Missions
We may have just gotten our first evidence of the GBU-53/B StormBreaker glide bomb, also known as the Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II), being used in combat by the U.S. Navy. The first operational use of StormBreaker by the service would be a big deal, with this weapon bringing some significant advances over its predecessor, the GBU-39/B SDB I, especially the ability to hit moving targets in all weather conditions. Videos recently published by U.S. Central Command showing ongoing missions against the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen include footage of StormBreakers being carried by U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, as well as being prepared by armorers about the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). User @IntelWalrus on X was the first to bring this to our attention. Restoring freedom of navigation#HouthisAreTerrorists — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 23, 2025 U.S Navy ammunition handlers aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) prepare ordnance for Carrier Air Wing One (CVW-1).#HouthisAreTerrorists — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 21, 2025 At this stage, we can't be sure if this is actually the first time StormBreaker has been used in combat, but we have reached out to the Navy and to Raytheon for clarification as well as details as to what kinds of targets the weapon may have been used against. We have also asked the manufacturer if the weapon was previously used in combat by the U.S. Air Force — if so, this doesn't appear to have been announced. Large-scale strikes by the U.S. military against Houthi targets in Yemen were ordered by President Donald Trump earlier this month, as we reported at the time. The first three days of these strikes reportedly killed 'dozens' of militants and hit headquarters, command and control nodes, weapons manufacturing and storage facilities, and drone operations infrastructure. This latest campaign was spurred by the Houthis saying they would resume attacks on Israeli-linked ships over the blockade of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. As well as StormBreaker, we have seen other interesting weapons employed during these strikes, including a lot of standoff types. Among these, the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) glide bomb has been prominent, as well as the AGM-84H/K Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) missile, and the more familiar Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM). As for the GBU-53/B, the weapon's tri-mode guidance system can find targets using imaging infrared or millimeter-wave radar or employing semi-active laser homing to hit a designated aimpoint. Another of the key advantages of StormBreaker is its ability to communicate with the aircraft carrying it. This means the weapon can be launched and, if required, redirected to a new target once in flight, as well as receiving regular midcourse updates. Depending on the altitude of the launching aircraft, the weapon can also glide on its own using a GPS-assisted inertial navigation system, after which it can strike a specific coordinate or begin searching for a target. This provides considerable flexibility, with the weapon able to engage both stationary and moving targets, including at night or in bad weather. This latter point provides a major advantage over even the 'Laser SDB,' a development of the original SDB that can strike moving targets, but not in all weather conditions. The Laser SDB also needs the aircraft — or another laser source — within line of sight to actually lase the target. StormBreaker can hit stationary targets at a maximum of 69 miles and moving targets at 45 miles, the Air Force has disclosed. The munition has particular utility against surface targets, making it especially relevant for the current Houthi campaign. StormBreaker is also a notably small weapon, with a length of just 69 inches, a diameter of no more than seven inches, and a weight of 204 pounds. An individual aircraft can therefore carry a significant quantity — up to 28 in the case of the F-15E Strike Eagle, for example — allowing more targets to be prosecuted. However, the F/A-18E/F has so far only been seen carrying StormBreaker on twin smart racks, as evidenced aboard the USS Harry S. Truman during the Houthi strikes. As we reported at the time, the U.S. Air Force was the first to approve the StormBreaker for operational use on its F-15E back in October 2020. This milestone had been delayed due to issues with the weapon's software and guidance system, as well as addressing safety concerns associated with the bomb's folding tail fins, all of which you can read more about in this previous TWZ piece on the weapon. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy announced its first guided launch of a StormBreaker from an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in June 2020, as seen in the video below. 'StormBreaker is the only weapon that enables pilots to hit moving targets during bad weather or if dust and smoke are in the area,' Cristy Stagg, the StormBreaker program director at Raytheon's Missiles and Defense division, said in a statement at the time. 'Super Hornet pilots will be able to use poor visibility to their advantage when StormBreaker integration is complete.' In December 2021, it emerged that the Air Force had determined that StormBreaker needed 'additional coordination and planning' before being loaded onto a jet. The Air Force explained in a press release that, since the munition and aircraft communicate with each other, intelligence airmen have to load encrypted information into the bomb's computer, resulting in a more laborious process to get the weapons actually loaded and ready for use. The Air Force also said that the process should be smoothed out as the service gained more experience with the weapon. This revelation came in an Air Force press release marking the introduction of StormBreaker into operational service, with the 391st Fighter Squadron, an F-15E unit at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. In April of last year, the Navy announced that it planned to field StormBreaker (which it also refers to as Small Diameter Bomb Increment II) on the F/A-18E/F after declaring Early Operational Capability (EOC) in October 2023. At that point, two additional operational test events were required before achieving Initial Operational Capability (IOC). There are also plans to integrate StormBreaker onto all three variants of the F-35. These aircraft will be able to carry these weapons internally, allowing them to employ them while operating in the stealthiest configuration. The addition of StormBreaker into the F-35's arsenal will greatly expand the type's flexibility and lethality. All three variants of the F-35 will be able to carry four StormBreaker munitions in each of their internal bays. Looking toward the future, Raytheon has also said it's working on a ground-launched version of StormBreaker, fitted with a rocket motor. Meanwhile, an air-breathing engine is planned to be added to the air-launched version, providing a considerably greater standoff range. You can read more about those plans here, as well as our report on how the munition is already an important part of Marine Corps planning for future Expeditionary Air Basing Operations (EABO) with the F-35B. For now, however, the original version of StormBreaker appears to have notched up a highly important milestone in its sometimes-protracted development history. Hopefully, more details will emerge soon about the combat use of the GBU-53/B as part of the ongoing operations against the Houthi militia. Contact the author: thomas@
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ground-Launched And Powered Air-Launched Versions Of StormBreaker Glide Bomb Are In Development
Raytheon has revealed that it's working on a ground-launched version of its StormBreaker glide bomb, previously available only in air-launched form. The new development of the weapon should provide a very versatile follow-on to the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), which made its combat debut in Ukraine but had reportedly performed poorly there, especially due to heavy Russian jamming. Meanwhile, the same motor that will be used on the ground-launched model is also planned to be added to the air-launched version, providing a considerably greater standoff range. The existence of the ground-launched StormBreaker — the official name of the weapon was not revealed — was disclosed by Jon 'Stormin' Norman, the Vice President Air & Space Defense Systems Requirements & Capability at Raytheon. He was speaking on the Fighter Pilot Podcast, the full episode of which you can find here. 'On company funding, we're working with some of the service labs to do a ground launch variant of [StormBreaker],' Norman said. 'We'll be testing that to summer on company money, and that'll give it a good range and a good point-defense capability.' Norman added that the company was still looking at propulsion options for the ground-launched version, with either a rocket motor or an air-breathing engine under consideration. However, whatever option is chosen will likely also make its way onto the air-launched version, too. 'We're working on the engineering design to integrate that onto the weapon to greatly enhance the range of that StormBreaker so we can keep our pilots outside of threat rings. So we're very excited about that. We think that this has a lot of growth capability.' Before looking at the particular advantages offered by a ground-launched StormBreaker, it's worth looking briefly at the development path that brought Raytheon here. The story starts with the 250-pound GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb or SDB I, a 'fire and forget' precision attack weapon that combines standoff with small size. This means more examples of the weapon can be carried by a single aircraft. Depending on the launch height and speed, the unpowered SDB I can reach targets as far as 60 miles away, thanks to its pop-out wing set. However, this is under optimal conditions, and a range in the region of 45-50 miles is more likely when launched from a tactical jet. However, the original SDB I is not able to engage moving targets, a limitation addressed by the Small Diameter Bomb II, now better known as the GBU-53/B StormBreaker. This is able to hit moving targets in any weather, thanks to its tri-mode guidance system, which uses imaging infrared, millimeter-wave radar, or semi-active laser homing to hit a designated aimpoint. There is also a datalink, allowing the munition to communicate over the Link 16 network, so pilots can send updated target information to the StormBreaker after the weapon has left its launch pylon. While it only weighs 204 pounds, this includes a surprisingly powerful penetrating warhead for its size. Depending on the altitude and speed of the launching aircraft, the weapon can glide up to 69 miles on its own using a GPS-assisted inertial navigation system, after which it can strike a specific coordinate or begin searching for a target. For moving targets, the weapon's range is reduced to 45 miles. The air-launched StormBreaker is therefore well suited to tasks as battlefield interdiction and destruction of enemy air defenses against ground-mobile targets and even anti-ship attacks. It's also much more flexible when it comes to targeting and re-targeting overall. The first effort to transform the series into a surface-launched long-range precision strike weapon was the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb, or GLSDB, developed by Boeing, in partnership with Saab of Sweden, on the basis of the air-launched SDB. Each GLSDB is comprised of two existing components, the air-launched GBU-39/B SDB and the rocket motor from the 227mm-caliber M26 artillery rocket. The M26 is among the rocket types that can be fired from the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), and variants thereof, and the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). The GLSDB relies on the M26 rocket motor to propel it for the initial boost/loft phase, after which the wings are deployed and the munition flies unpowered, as a glide bomb. It uses the GBU-39/B's existing inertial navigation system and embedded GPS to guide it to its target. The GLSDB has a range of around 94 miles. In its marketing literature, Saab claimed that the GLSDB's guidance system not only ensures accuracy to within three feet but is also resilient to electronic warfare jamming, something that is of particular concern in the Ukrainian conflict. However, once exposed to combat for the first time by Ukrainian forces, it seems the GLSDB was found wanting. 'One company, I won't say who they are, they came up with a really cool idea of taking an air-to-ground weapon and doing a ground-launched version of it, and it would be a long-range fire weapon,' Bill LaPlante, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, said in April 2024. Although he didn't mention the GLSDB by name, his meaning was clear, as no other weapons fit this description. 'They raced and did it as fast as they could,' LaPlante continued. He added that U.S. authorities relaxed their testing requirements to help speed the weapon system in question to Ukraine. 'We said, look, just test for safety. Otherwise, the operational testing will be non-cooperative with the Russians,' according to LaPlante. 'And so then we sent it to Ukrainians. It didn't work.' LaPlante claimed the GLSDB's performance was limited for 'multiple reasons,' including the dense electronic warfare environment, as well as the tactics, techniques, and procedures. 'It just didn't work,' LaPlante explained, before suggesting that the weapon had been more or less abandoned by the Ukrainians as a result. While LaPlante didn't provide any more details on the electronic warfare issue, it's by now no secret that Russian GPS jamming, in particular, has reduced the efficiency of Ukraine's use of Western precision-guided ground and air-launched munitions. As the war in Ukraine has continued, Russian forces have significantly expanded their use of various kinds of electronic warfare capabilities. Clearly, weapons like GLSDB that rely on GPS are going to be especially vulnerable to Russian jamming of this kind. The StormBreaker, however, should be much more resilient, thanks to its tri-mode guidance. Although Norman made no mention of the GLSDB's performance or of its utilization in Ukraine, having a weapon that is better able to cope with Russian or any other hostile electronic warfare makes a good deal of sense. A tri-mode seeker means that, unlike the GLSDB, the ground-launched StormBreaker will have the ability to find its way to a moving or static target and to cope with smoke, dust, and other poor weather conditions. Furthermore, the weapon's onboard computer is able to classify and prioritize targets on its own, seeking out their especially vulnerable points, too. Additionally, the StormBreaker features hardening against electromagnetic jamming and cyber attacks, providing a further level of reliability. Aside from the propulsion choices, Norman didn't provide details of how the ground-launched StormBreaker might work in comparison to the GLSDB. It's unclear if the rocket motor he referred to would be the same as that used in the GLSDB, although the possibility of an air-breathing engine would tally with Raytheon's goal of developing a weapon that will have a maximum range considerably greater than the roughly 94 miles of the GLSDB. This would be especially relevant for the air-launched version, in which the speed and altitude of the launch platform would combine with the motor to provide even greater standoff distance. The war in Ukraine has also reinforced the importance of having munitions that put considerably more distance between the launch platform and the target area. Even the GLSDB, for all its apparent problems, provides significantly greater reach than the longest-range 227mm artillery rockets currently available for the M270 MLRS and the M142 HIMARS. These can fire precision-guided rockets out to around 50 miles. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force has had notable success with the air-launched SDB. A weapon that combines the versatility of the air-launched StormBreaker with even greater standoff range would be of huge interest to any number of air forces. Clearly, depending on the eventual maximum range, a single ground-launched StormBreaker battery will be able to provide prompt precision strike option even against moving targets over a large geographical area. Just assuming the same range as the current GLSDB, it would be able to address targets over nearly 28,000 square miles. As such, it will offer even small forward-based unit unprecedented capabilities. This could including striking numerous vehicles dozens of miles away with exacting precision, in any weather, without the use of air support — whether it be manned or unmanned aircraft. This capability would offer drastic efficiencies and a new level of organic precision fire support basically anywhere on the battlefield a launcher can survive. When it comes to the powered air-launched SDB II, that would also offer a huge leap in capability, allowing aircraft to make greater use of ever more capable and farther-reaching kill webs that leverage advanced networking for targeting. Its extended range would also provide a larger margin of survivability for the launch platform, which face increasingly long-ranged air defenses. TWZ has approached Raytheon for more details about the ground-launched version of the StormBreaker — and the powered air-launched model. With tests of the ground-launched version apparently now underway, we should learn more about the new weapon in due course. While it's hard to determine the full scope of its capabilities at this early stage, the ground-launched StormBreaker would appear to offer a range of advantages over the GLSDB, not least its ability to hit moving targets in all weathers — and its better resilience to electronic warfare jamming. Contact the author: thomas@
