U.S. Navy approves Raytheon’s StormBreaker ‘smart’ weapon for Super Hornets

25 Feb 2026

“Tri-mode” seeker – laser, infrared, and mm wave radar – enables missile to strike targets in all weathers.

The U.S. Navy has approved Raytheon’s StormBreaker smart weapon for operational use on the F/A-18-E/F Super Hornet strike fighter. Raytheon is an RTX company.

The company describes StormBreaker as ”the only operational smart weapon that can engage moving and stationary targets in both fair and adverse weather conditions, at land or at sea,” adding ”Its compact size allows a single aircraft to engage more surface targets than previously possible”.

Sam Deneke, president of Air & Space Defense Systems, commented, “The Super Hornet plays a critical role in the Navy’s air combat strategy and equipping it with StormBreaker increases the aircraft’s lethality by enabling precision strike in all weather conditions.”

In 2023, the Super Hornet became the first U.S. Navy aircraft to carry StormBreaker. It has demonstrated what Raytheon calls “exceptional performance in combat on the aircraft”.

Approved for operational use

StormBreaker is now approved for use on the F-15E and the F/A-18-E/F Super Hornet, and is currently being integrated on the F-35A/B/C aircraft.

Raytheon provides defense solutions to help the U.S. government and other approved customers defend their nations and ensure their security. For more than 100 years, Raytheon has developed new technologies and enhanced existing capabilities in integrated air and missile defense, smart weapons, missiles, advanced sensors and radars, interceptors, space-based systems, hypersonics and missile defense across land, air, sea and space.