Air-to-surface strikes is essential to mission success for the warfighters operating fifth-generation aircraft around the world. It provides ultimate air superiority and gives operators the flexibility to hit moving targets at any time of day/night and in adverse weather conditions. 

In September 2022, the U.S. Navy completed test launches of the StormBreaker small diameter bomb from an F-35B. This capability is dire to the F-35 arsenal of weaponry - the air-to-surface bomb can strike stationary and mobile targets from over 45 miles away using a combination of GPS, laser and radar technologies for precision guidance. It uses imaging infrared and millimeter wave radar to see through rain, fog and smoke. 

The StormBreaker II can now begin the weapon capability testing phase and brings it one step closer to integration with the Navy’s F-35 fleet. US Navy Wraps Up StormBreaker Smart Munition F-35 Test (thedefensepost.com)