On March 21, 2025, Türkiye’s Minister of Industry and Technology announced that the SOM-J (Stand Off Munition-J) cruise missile, developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE, successfully hit a target at sea during its first test firing.
Fired from an F-16 of the Turkish Air Force’s 401st Test Squadron, the SOM-J cruise missile achieved a successful strike on the target in open waters with pinpoint accuracy.
Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih KACIR shared on his social media account that the SOM-J cruise missile is effective against both land and surface targets. He underscored several key features of the system, including post-launch control capabilities such as retargeting, target updates, mission cancellation, and communication silencing. KACIR also highlighted its compatibility with Turkiye’s national air platforms like KAAN and KIZILELMA, its infrared seeker, an optimized warhead for engaging surface targets, and low radar visibility for enhanced stealth.
Yeni yetenek yüklendi! 🚀🌊✅
— Mehmet Fatih KACIR (@mfatihkacir) March 21, 2025
TÜBİTAK SAGE tarafından geliştirilen SOM-J seyir füzemiz, suüstü bir platforma karşı yapılan ilk test atışında hedefi başarıyla vurdu. 🎯
SOM-J; modern harp ortamında Türk Silahlı Kuvvetlerimiz için etkin bir kuvvet çarpanı olacak ve uzun menzilden… pic.twitter.com/8hX92zaaMB
“SOM-J will be an effective force multiplier for the Turkish Armed Forces in the modern warfare environment and will enable the neutralization of high-value targets at long ranges.”
Mehmet Fatih KACIR, Turkiye’s Minister of Industry and Technology
SOM-J is an air-to-surface munition that has been developed for use against heavily defended land and naval targets, and that is mounted inside the aircraft/ below the wing. It is developed by TUBITAK SAGE, also called as Turkish DARPA, and produced by ROKETSAN. Built based on the existing SOM technologies that are already in service with the Turkish Air Force, SOM-J today provides enhanced capabilities. The long-range SOM-J is a cost-effective solution due to its reduced observability, among its other capabilities.
The SOM-J was originally developed as part of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, designed specifically to fit within the internal weapon bays of all F-35 variants. Unlike the larger SOM cruise missile, the J variant features a different airframe optimized for internal carriage on the stealth fighter. Initially, the plan was to integrate the missile onto F-35s operated by partner nations. However, following Turkiye’s removal from the F-35 program, the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) was ultimately selected as the primary air-to-surface missile for the F-35 fleet.
Technical Specifications:
- Length: ~ 3.9 m
- Weight: ~ 540 kg
- Range: 275 km [150 NM]
- Warhead Weight: ~ 140 kg
- Seeker: IIR (Imaging Infrared)
- Speed: High Subsonic
- Guidance: INS/GPS/TRN (Terrain Relative Navigation)/ATA (Automatic Target Acquisition)
Naval News comments
The SOM-J is planned for integration with Baykar’s AKINCI unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV). Once operational, AKINCI will become the first UCAV capable of launching an anti-ship cruise missile with an impressive range of 275 km. Additionally, Baykar’s next-generation unmanned fighter jet, KIZILELMA—currently in advanced trials—will also be equipped to carry and deploy the SOM-J.
This capability marks a significant advancement in unmanned warfare. Considering that the effective range of most naval air defense systems worldwide falls below 275 km, the deployment of a long-range cruise missile from a UCAV adds a new layer of complexity to naval operations. It not only extends the strike reach of unmanned platforms but also poses a considerable challenge to traditional naval defense strategies, shifting the dynamics of maritime warfare.
