According to the military news site 'the aviationist', during the Nordic joint exercise in mid-May, the U.S. Air Force employed F-15E fighters to deploy GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II (SDBII), with Norwegian P-8A patrol aircraft successfully guiding and destroying targets for the first time, marking a milestone in joint operational capabilities.

The exercises took place on the island of Andøya in northwestern Norway on May 14, under the codename 'Jotun Strike'. U.S. F-15E fighters dropped two 'Windbreaker' GBU-53/B bombs, after which the Norwegian P-8A crew used the Link 16 data link to provide guidance, transmitting updated target information via onboard sensors to complete the long-range strike mission without direct line of sight to the target.

Reports indicate that the 'Windbreaker' can be guided by GPS, inertial navigation, infrared cameras, millimeter-wave radar, and semi-active laser systems, offering exceptional anti-jamming capabilities and accuracy, with a maximum effective range of 72 kilometers. Furthermore, equipped with a bidirectional data link, it can continuously receive updated data during flight, adjust its flight path, and re-select targets at the terminal phase.

This test marks the first time the U.S. military has transferred munitions control to allied forces during an exercise, particularly noteworthy as 'Windbreaker' can be deployed by various U.S. aircraft types such as F-35A, F-35C, F-15E, and F/A-18E/F. Additionally, advanced sensors and data links have been adopted by Norway, the UK, and Germany, highlighting that NATO allies can execute joint long-range strike operations using air, sea, and ground-based sensors and data links, significantly enhancing operational interoperability.