UK approves Small Diameter Bomb II purchase for F‑35 fleet

The UK Ministry of Defence has approved a Foreign Military Sales procurement of the Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB‑II, also known as GBU‑53/B StormBreaker) to give its F‑35 aircraft an interim precision standoff capability. The decision follows a July 2025 National Audit Office report that warned the fleet lacked an effective long‑range air‑to‑surface weapon and had not received funding for one. In a letter dated 30 April 2026, MoD Permanent Secretary Jeremy Pocklington confirmed the approval, noting the SDB‑II is already integrated on the F‑35B and used by U.S. Marine Corps aircraft, allowing rapid fielding.

The glide bomb, developed by RTX, offers greater range and all‑weather targeting than the Paveway IV bombs currently carried by UK F‑35Bs and will serve as a temporary solution until the SPEAR‑3 missile, delayed until the early 2030s, becomes operational.