……Although Turkey was expelled from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program in July 2019, the SOM-J Project did not stop and work continued with the aim of conducting the first fire test from a TurAF F-16 by the end of 2021. In addition to the F-16 and TF-X/MMU warplanes, it will also be integrated into Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (SİHA) such as TAI product AKSUNGUR and BAYKAR DEFENSE product AKINCI. In this context, integration studies on AKINCI SİHA started in the first half of 2021. In this way, cruise missiles that can penetrate deep into the enemy line from the SİHAs will be fired and directed to enemy targets by the pilots and payload operators at the Ground Control Station. As one of the world's leading countries in S/UAV technologies, Turkey will also open a new page with the SİHA-Air-Ground Cruise Missile (ALCM) concept.
The SOM-J, which is currently powered by the Improved TR40 Turbojet Engine (it is aimed to localize the engine on the SOM-J in time, and I am waiting for the development of a version of the KTJ-3200 suitable for SOM-J), is approximately 3.9m long and has a high subsonic speed. It weighs 540kg and can reach a range of 275km+ (150nm+). Equipped with a particle-effect armor-piercing warhead weighing approximately 140kg, the SOM-J Missile uses an IIR (Infrared Imager) seeker (with MCT-based cooled MWIR detector). Meanwhile, within the scope of the recently completed product development studies, it is stated that a significant reduction in weight has been achieved thanks to the use of composite material in the SOM-J body. While it is stated that the results of these studies have been approved, we do not currently have clear information about whether the Modified SOM-J design will turn into a product. With its lightweight body and turbojet engine with closed-loop lubrication system, a significant range increase will be possible in the Modified SOM-J compared to the standard version.
Öncelikli olarak sabit ve hareket halindeki su üstü hedeflere karşı (ASuW) kullanılmak üzere tasarlanan ancak yoğun bir şekilde korunan kara hedeflerine karşı da kullanılabilen 5’inci Nesil SOM-J Füzesinin geliştirme çalışmalarına 18 Şubat 2014’te Savunma Sanayi Başkanlığı (SSB) ile Ana...
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