US, Turkey to Create New Cruise Missile for F-35 Fighter Jet

[RoadRunner401]

The US defense contractor Lockheed Martin will collaborate with Turkish company Roketsan on a creating of a new cruise missile intended to arm the F-35 fighter jet.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States and Turkey are partnering to create a new cruise missile intended to arm the fifth generation F-35 fighter jet, Lockheed Martin said in a release on Wednesday.

"Lockheed Martin… and Turkish company Roketsan signed a contract to cooperatively develop the SOM-J missile for integration into the F-35 internal weapons bay," Lockheed Martin said.

The partnership will allow the SOM-J air-to-surface cruise missiles to be fully integrated into the F-35 jet’s arms capabilities, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control Vice President Frank St. John said.
"SOM-J integration on the F-35 will enable pilots to engage targets from long ranges while maintaining the aircraft’s critical stealth capabilities," St. John explained.

Lockheed Martin’s partnership with Rokestan, he added, will bring business to Turkey, and will provide US allies important missile capabilities.

The development of the SOM-J cruise missile began in 2006, and launch tests with the Turkish Air Force have started in 2011.

US, Turkey to Create New Cruise Missile for F-35 Fighter Jet

 

[AMDR]

Photo shows F-35 SOM-J Air-Launched Cruise Missile separation tests in wind tunnel
The Aviationist » Photo shows F-35 SOM-J Air-Launched Cruise Missile separation tests in wind tunnel

Turkish air-launched cruise missile is being tested for integration on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
SOM (Stand-Off Missile) is a high precision cruise missile, developed since 2006 and unveiled for the first time during the 100th anniversary celebrations of the Turkish Air Force at Izmir, in June 2011.

The SOM can be used against stationary and moving targets at a distance of over 180 kilometers.

SOM-J is a low observable SOM variant designed to fit internal weapon bay of the F-35 Lightning II jet.

Another major difference is the warhead of SOM-J which is anti-ship and semi-armour piercing type with blast/fragmentation effects on soft targets (i.e. personnel, unarmoured military vehicles, radars, buildings, etc.).

The development activities have been initiated under the contract between Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) and ROKETSAN Inc. According to this contract, TÜBİTAK SAGE has been subcontracted to perform development activities.

Based on the material provided by Arda Mevlutoglu, owner of siyahgribeyaz.com, who sent us the press releases distributed by ROKETSAN during the meeting, the platform integration activities for the F-35 have started. Among the activities that have already conducted successfully, there are the wind tunnel tests.

Finalization of complete product is planned in 2018, when SOM-J will be available to all F-35 users.
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Another deadly weapon in the F-35s bag of tricks

 

[atatwolf]

Video is in Turkish but description in English.

 

[Hurshid Celebi]

engage targets from long ranges while maintaining the aircraft’s critical stealth capabilities

TR - SOM , Joint PK -TR Project.

 

[XILLAX]

left side for F35 and right side for F16 etc if i am not wrong

SOM J

 

[xenon54 out]

I wonder what J stands for, mabe SOM-Joint Strike Fighter or SOM-Junior?

 

[Timur]

left side for F35 and right side for F16 etc if i am not wrong

th<t is really small

maybe we should use f16 much longer like we used our phantoms..

 

[Casus Belli]

th<t is really small

maybe we should use f16 much longer like we used our phantoms..

^^ SOM-J 1/3 Scale Model

 

[-------]

Do they just like to sign paper at every Defence Fair?
Anyway, pic related..

SOM-J
Warhead - 227kg
Range - 100nm/185km

 

[Kebapçı Erhan]

I wonder what J stands for, mabe SOM-Joint Strike Fighter or SOM-Junior?

It stands for Johnny

 

[Hurshid Celebi]

Yes we do. But one of many

 

[Oublious]

Almost one year and any update?

 

[atatwolf]

Almost one year and any update?

Change of plans for US:
US confirms special forces on ground in Syria aiding Kurds | Middle East Eye

Ranks of YPG PYD is filled with foreign fighters. The US and NATO have given up on a safe zone and chosen these terrorists who are ethnically cleansing Arabs. Now they are saddled up with refugees in Europe and they don't want to accept them.

https://twitter.com/x/status/644568801648988160

 

[Hurshid Celebi]

They found a new trusted ally in Türkiye - Kemal ( Karabulut) Kilicdaroglu- : LIVE IN CNN word by word !

"PKK fights gainst IS, why should they surrender weapons in this climate in near East;
even they withdraw to Kandil "!

Same words we hear from US and EU !

 

[Hurshid Celebi]

PAK - TR , cruise Missile and BM cooperation has a Long Tradition; as well as other cooperations, Pakistan ABDALI Class BM are very similiar to our J- Class based on B-611 from China. We can be sure that's not all. Thanks Pakistan for cooperation on all Levels with Türkiye.