diff --git a/Externals.cfg b/Externals.cfg
index f821dadbfb..61fe136406 100644
--- a/Externals.cfg
+++ b/Externals.cfg
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # External sub-modules of global-workflow
 
 [FV3GFS]
-tag = GFS.v16.2.0
+tag = GFS.v16.3.0
 local_path = sorc/fv3gfs.fd
 repo_url = https://github.com/ufs-community/ufs-weather-model.git
 protocol = git
diff --git a/sorc/checkout.sh b/sorc/checkout.sh
index 208bb96064..5d8999b774 100755
--- a/sorc/checkout.sh
+++ b/sorc/checkout.sh
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ echo $topdir
 echo fv3gfs checkout ...
 if [[ ! -d fv3gfs.fd ]] ; then
     rm -f ${topdir}/checkout-fv3gfs.log
-    git clone --recursive --branch GFS.v16.2.1 https://github.com/ufs-community/ufs-weather-model.git fv3gfs.fd >> ${topdir}/checkout-fv3gfs.log 2>&1
+    git clone --recursive --branch GFS.v16.3.0 https://github.com/ufs-community/ufs-weather-model.git fv3gfs.fd >> ${topdir}/checkout-fv3gfs.log 2>&1
     cd ${topdir}
 else
     echo 'Skip.  Directory fv3gfs.fd already exists.'