First Live Fire Test with SOM-J 5th Generation ASuW Missile Held in October
The first live fire test was successfully carried out in October with the SOM-J 5th Generation ASuW Missile developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE. The shooting was carried out with the F-16C Aircraft, affiliated to the 401st Test Fleet Command, off the coast of Bartın. The launch was scheduled for September 2021 against a naval target, weather permitting, but was later delayed to October.
The Defense Industry Presidency (SSB) and the Main Contractor started the development work of the 5th Generation SOM-J Missile, which is primarily designed to be used against fixed and moving surface targets (ASuW), but can also be used against heavily protected land targets. It was started under the F-35 MTU/JSF Compatible Precision Guided Smart Missile Design, Development and Prototype Production Project Agreement signed between ROKETSAN. The design, development, prototype production, testing and platform integration activities of the SOM-J Missile are carried out by TÜBİTAK SAGE, the design responsible, while the promotion/marketing and mass production activities are under the responsibility of ROKETSAN.
With test ammunition in the SOM-J Program, which passed from sub-system level tests to system level tests in 2017, Captive Carrying and Safe Ammunition Release/Separation Test was carried out at Sinop Shooting Test Site in July 2018 and Environmental Conditions and Ground Tests were completed in October 2020. flight tests have been going on for some time. In this context, in the first half of 2021, the F-16C Aircraft SOM-J KTM-2, affiliated with the 401st Test Fleet Command (KTM code refers to the prototype code of the Mass Equivalent Test Ammunition with special measurement systems for data collection during transport attached to the aircraft) While being displayed during the flight, in the images shared in the news of the 401st Test Fleet Command visit by TRT Haber on social media on September 5, 2021, in addition to the SOM-J KTM-2 ammunition, the SOM-J ITM-2 (Enhanced TR40 Turbojet) It has an engine, the ITM code refers to the prototype code of the Functional Test Ammunition, which has the same systems as the tactical system except the warhead and has special measurement systems for data collection during flight tests) also attracted attention.
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 elephant fire test from a TurAF F-16 by the end of 2021.
Powered by the Developed TR40 Turbojet Engine (in time, it is aimed to localize the engine on the SOM-J, and I am waiting for the development of a version of the KTJ-3200 suitable for SOM-J), with a high subsonic speed, the SOM-J is approximately 3.9m long and 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 on 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.
SOM-J Missile, which is stated to have Low Radar Cross Section (RCS) value, has the same guidance system as SOM-B1 (INS/GPS, Earth Reference Navigation System [TRNS], Image Referenced Navigation [IBN] System and Automatic Target Detection [ OHA/ATA]) but will have a more advanced/precise OHA/ATA capability and a bidirectional Link-16 Tactical Data Link System (giving capabilities such as target update during flight, engagement of opportunity targets, and mission cancellation). In addition to tactical data link systems, the SOM-J Missile is designed to be compatible with the Intelligent Weapon Network (ASA) developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE. In this way, sharing missile information after firing, tracking and control of the missile by control platforms, operator-assisted targeting and control capability using seeker images, joint operations capability with a network to be established between weapon systems are provided.
It was announced that the SOM-J Missile was planned to be integrated into TUSAŞ product AKSUNGUR and BAYKAR DEFENSE product AKINCI as well as Attack Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (TİHA), and integration studies on AKINCI TİHA were started in the first half of 2021. However, in the current environment, it is not possible to supply the Link-16 Tactical Data Link System with COMSEC status from the USA via FMS and to integrate it with AKINCI or AKSUNGUR TİHAs. Maybe in the future, the integration of KEMENT Tactical Data Link to mass production SOM-J Missiles will be on the agenda, as in the SOM-C1/C2. The KEMENT Tactical Data Link System, which is still being tested on SOM, was previously integrated into an F-16C Block 30 Aircraft as part of the firing tests, and in this context, blade antennas were attached to the cockpit front and back of the aircraft.
The same aircraft can be used in the SOM-C1/C2 tests as well as in the SOM-J test after KEMENT integration. However, the integration of KEMENT into F-16 models undergoing CCIP represents a serious engineering challenge. The world's leading S/UAV technologies, with the ability to fire cruise missiles that can penetrate deep into the enemy line and direct them to enemy targets by the pilots and payload operators at the Ground Control Station, from AKSUNGUR and AKINCI TİHAs, two of which were declared to be in service as of November. Turkey, one of the countries, will open a new page with the SİHA-Air-Ground Cruise Missile (ALCM) concept.
TÜBİTAK SAGE tarafından geliştirilen SOM-J 5’inci Nesil ASuW Füzesi ile ilk canlı atış testi Ekim ayı içinde başarıyla icra edildi. Atış 401’inci Test Filo Komutanlığı bağlısı F-16C Uçağı ile Bartın açıklarında icra edildi. Atışın hava şartlarının uygun olması durumunda bir deniz hedefine karşı...
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