US Defense's video: US Air Force s launch New Smart Bomb

US Air Force’s launch New Smart Bomb The U.S. Air Force’s Air Combat Command announced Monday that the first operational unit being used the next-generation smart munition on its fighter jets. The 391st Fighter Squadron became the first operational unit to use the GBU-53/B StormBreaker glide bomb, known as StormBreaker, at the Utah Test and Training Range, according to a press release from Air Combat Command released on 13 December. Four F-15Es from the 366th Fighter Wing had the opportunity to employ this new capability as part of WSEP (Weapon System Evaluation Program). The evaluation involved multiple aircraft targeting and engaging four ground-based vehicles with four StormBreakers. Despite all of the vehicles being moving targets and this being a relatively new munition, all four were successfully hit. The StormBreaker measures at 69 inches long, 6-7 inches in diameter, weighs 204 pounds and carries a 105 pound warhead. By using a combination of millimeter wave active radar homing, semi-active laser guidance, infrared homing, GPS coupled inertial guidance and data-link, the bomb is proven to strike stationary targets at 69 miles and moving targets at 45 miles. According to Capt. Kyle “Scrap” Holifield, 391st Fighter Squadron, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, the integrated connectivity of the new bomb is one of its greatest assets, allowing it to be launched and then, if needed, redirected by the aircrew toward a new target while in transit. “I love that it can get on link,” he said referring to the communication system that is used by the F-15E’s, and numerous other platform’s, electronic systems and is the backbone of this capability. “The new small diameter bomb provides F-15E’s with new and complimentary capabilities,” said Holifield. “It is not a replacement for other bombs.”