Defense giant RTX confirmed the U.S. Air Force’s substantial investment in awarding Raytheon, an RTX business, a $345 million contract to manufacture and deliver over 1,500 StormBreaker smart weapons.
Raytheon says the StormBreaker is the premier air-to-surface weapon, equipped with network-enabled capabilities to engage moving targets under any weather condition, leveraging a multi-effects warhead and a tri-mode seeker.
Paul Ferraro, the president of Air Power at Raytheon, emphasized StormBreaker’s growing influence across the Department of Defense, stating, “Fielded on two platforms with testing underway for others, StormBreaker has solidified its place as the leading network enabled weapon across the Department of Defense,”
Currently integrated into the F-15E Strike Eagle and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, StormBreaker undergoes testing across all variants of the F-35. In 2023 alone, StormBreaker executed 28 successful test drops across these platforms.
Raytheon underscores StormBreaker’s groundbreaking capabilities in combat scenarios. Its ability to effectively target moving objects in adverse weather conditions marks a significant advantage. Equipped with autonomous features, this winged munition detects and classifies moving targets even in low-visibility environments caused by darkness, adverse weather, or battlefield obscurants like smoke or dust.
The persistent challenge of adverse weather and battlefield obscurants exposes warfighters to threats as adversaries exploit these conditions to evade attacks. StormBreaker serves as an all-weather solution, bolstering warfighters’ capabilities when visibility is compromised.
One notable advantage of StormBreaker lies in its compact size, enabling the accomplishment of missions with fewer aircraft compared to larger weapons that require multiple jets. With an operational range exceeding 45 miles, StormBreaker efficiently engages mobile targets while reducing aircrew exposure to potential threats.