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US Navy Integrates GBU-39 Bombs on F/A-18 Super Hornets Using Ukraine-Tested Tactics

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Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
Author
US Navy Integrates GBU-39 Bombs on F/A-18 Super Hornets Using Ukraine-Tested Tactics
F/A-18 performs during the Air Show in Radom, Poland on August 26, 2023. (Source: Getty Images)

The US Navy is set to integrate Small Diameter Bombs (SDB I) onto its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jets, drawing directly from Ukraine’s battlefield experience, according to a recently disclosed contract document, Ukrainian military outlet Militarnyi reported on April 2.

The move reflects a growing trend within the US military to adopt proven Ukrainian combat tactics, expanding the Super Hornet’s arsenal with a cost-effective, precision-guided strike capability.

SDB I bombs have been widely used by the US Air Force on aircraft such as the F-15E, F-22A, AC-130W/J, F-16C/D Block 30/40/50, A-10, and F-35A. There are also plans to integrate them onto platforms like the MQ-9 Reaper, B-1, B-2, B-21, and B-52 bombers.

The compact size of SDB I allows an aircraft to carry up to four bombs per hardpoint, enabling a typical loadout of up to 16 bombs per aircraft.

The Navy’s carrier-based Super Hornets already operate with the more advanced SDB II (also known as StormBreaker), which features improved targeting capabilities, including the ability to hit moving targets.

In contrast, SDB I relies on inertial navigation and GPS guidance, making it a more cost-effective option.

Ukrainian MiG-29AS with American GBU-39. (Source: NMFTE)
Ukrainian MiG-29AS with American GBU-39. (Source: NMFTE)

Historically, the US Navy had not shown significant interest in SDB I. However, this new procurement aligns with a growing trend within the US military: adopting battlefield-proven tactics and weaponry from Ukraine’s fight against Russia.

Ukraine has extensively used SDB I bombs in combat, deploying them from Western-supplied F-16s as well as retrofitted Soviet-era Su-27 and MiG-29 fighters. These weapons have played a key role in striking Russian military targets, demonstrating their effectiveness in modern air warfare.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Air Force launched precision strikes on a Russian military command post in the temporarily occupied town of Oleshky, Kherson region.

The strike was conducted by a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet, which deployed two GBU-62 guided bombs.

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