Joint Stand-off Missile (SOM-J)

The primary function of the SOM version being developed through the Stand-off Ammunition project, designated SOM-J, will be to attack naval targets. Stand-off Ammunition objective is to design, develop and manufacture JSF compatible SOM-J prototypes in line with the JSF weapon integration schedule. The SSM and Lockheed Martin’s Aeronautics business division signed an agreement regarding the integration of SOM-J into the F-35, and these integration activities were conducted in three phases in parallel with the Stand-off Ammunition project. After completing the Phase-1 Feasibility Study, ROKETSAN conducted together with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and TÜBITAK SAGE the Risk Reduction Studies for the Phase-2A Integration activities, which were scheduled for completion by the end of 2014.

Lockheed Martin and Turkish company Roketsan signed a contract September 16, 2015 to cooperatively develop the SOM-J missile for integration into the F-35 internal weapons bay. SOM-J is a new generation air-to-surface standoff cruise missile.

The contract enabled the companies to move forward with their Technical Assistance Agreement, making the SOM-J missile available to international customers. SOM-J integration into the F-35 is scheduled for Block 4. Early live flight testing will be conducted on Turkish F-16s. "SOM-J integration on the F-35 will enable pilots to engage targets from long ranges while maintaining the aircraft's critical stealth capabilities," said Frank St. John, vice president at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.

SOM missile development began in 2006 and entered service with the Turkish Air Force in 2011. SOM-J is a smaller version of the subsonic SOM missile, which employs a 500-pound warhead and has a required range of more than 100 nautical miles. The SOM-J missile uses Global Positioning System as its primary guidance and is aided by inertial, terrain-referenced and image-based navigation systems, as well as an imaging infrared seeker.

In August 2015, the F-35 Joint Program Office announced plans to issue a contract to Lockheed Martin to deliver a report which determines the design impacts of a proposed change on the overall F-35 weapon system, to include Mission Planning, Training and Reprogramming capabilities.

The SOM system will be an autonomous, long-range, low-observable, all-weather, precision air-to-surface cruise missile. The SOM-J variant is tailored for internal carriage on the F-35 aircraft. The companies will jointly develop, produce and market it. There are currently no serial production anti-ship cruise missiles on the market that can be launched from the internal weapons bay of the F-35. If the ongoing studies are completed as planned, SOM-J will enter the international market as the first cruise missile to possess these characteristics.

SOM missile development project began in 2011 and in 2006 entered the Turkish Air Force inventory. A smaller version of the missile is subsonic speed with SOMA 500 SOMA-Jan-pound Warhead missile has a range of 100 nautical miles. SOM-J a viewer seeker, as well as GPS, INS, uses TBN and IBN system as a basic guidance system. After the successful development of the CIRIT missile, the first of its class to enter serial production, ROKETSAN was seeking similar success with SOM-J.