SOM (missile)
Encyclopedia
SOM Cruise Missile is an air-launched high precision cruise missile
, developed by TÜBİTAK
-SAGE, Defence Research and Development Institute of Turkey. It was first revealed during the 100th year celebrations of Turkish Air Force
(TuAF) at the Cigli Airbase in İzmir, on 4 June 2011. Developed since 2006, the SOM cruise missile
is Turkey's first domestic solution for destroying both stationary and moving targets at a stand-off distance of over 180 kilometers.
and a radar-based Terrain Referenced Navigation
system, allowing the missile to skim the terrain during its flight in order to evade local defence systems. According to the developer, it features advanced geometry and aerodynamics over similar missile systems, as well as lightweight composite components that minimize the radar cross-section of the missile. A terminal stage infrared imager detects the individual target by matching its signature with a pre-loaded database of similar targets allowing for precision strike. It can also be used to provide image-based midcourse navigation by taking snapshots of waypoints and comparing them against predicted position to update the navigation system. By this way, if GPS capability is denied or degraded, the missile can follow its waypoints using infrared based terrain updates. The missile includes a two-way datalink that makes possible to change the task in flight.
Basic design of the missile incorporates dedicated fuselage that fits in the internal bays of the Joint Strike Fighter.
It is intended to achieve high accuracy in striking military targets like command and control facilities, SAM sites, parked aircraft and surface ships.
SOM A: Basic Air Force variant that is designed to engage a military target in simple strike mode by using the coordinates of the given target at the terminal stage.
SOM B Block I: Advanced Air Force variant that engages a military target in precision strike mode using imaging infrared matching at the terminal stage.
SOM B Block II: Special Air Force variant featuring a dual-stage penetrator warhead which is designed to engage strategic and well-protected assets in precision strike mode.
SOM B Block I/II variants feature a data-link for man-in-the-loop update of a waypoint.
F-35 Lightning II
.
The SOM missile is also one of the two official candidate cruise missiles, besides the Joint Strike Missile developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace of Norway, to be integrated onto the F-35 Lightning II.
The SOM Missile is the first non-US made weapon to use the Universal Armaments Interface (UAI). Accordingly, the SOM missile can be integrated onto any platform which uses UAI.
produced Turkish Air Force
F-16 Fighting Falcon
(Block 40 CCIP and Block 50) and Turkish Air Force operated F-4E 2020.
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
, developed by TÜBİTAK
TÜBITAK
The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey is the main body responsible for organizing research and development activities on the national level in Turkey, with headquarters located in Ankara.-History:...
-SAGE, Defence Research and Development Institute of Turkey. It was first revealed during the 100th year celebrations of Turkish Air Force
Turkish Air Force
The Turkish Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. It ranks 3rd in NATO in terms of fleet size behind the USAF and Royal Air Force with a current inventory of 798 aircraft .-Initial stages:...
(TuAF) at the Cigli Airbase in İzmir, on 4 June 2011. Developed since 2006, the SOM cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
is Turkey's first domestic solution for destroying both stationary and moving targets at a stand-off distance of over 180 kilometers.
Description
The SOM stand-off cruise missile is a family of launch and leave precision strike weapons against both land or sea targets. It uses GPS as its primary mode of guidance complemented by an advanced Inertial Navigation SystemInertial navigation system
An inertial navigation system is a navigation aid that uses a computer, motion sensors and rotation sensors to continuously calculate via dead reckoning the position, orientation, and velocity of a moving object without the need for external references...
and a radar-based Terrain Referenced Navigation
TERCOM
Terrain Contour Matching, or TERCOM, is a navigation system used primarily by cruise missiles. It uses a pre-recorded contour map of the terrain that is compared to measurements made during flight by an on-board radar altimeter. A TERCOM system considerably increases the accuracy of a missile...
system, allowing the missile to skim the terrain during its flight in order to evade local defence systems. According to the developer, it features advanced geometry and aerodynamics over similar missile systems, as well as lightweight composite components that minimize the radar cross-section of the missile. A terminal stage infrared imager detects the individual target by matching its signature with a pre-loaded database of similar targets allowing for precision strike. It can also be used to provide image-based midcourse navigation by taking snapshots of waypoints and comparing them against predicted position to update the navigation system. By this way, if GPS capability is denied or degraded, the missile can follow its waypoints using infrared based terrain updates. The missile includes a two-way datalink that makes possible to change the task in flight.
Basic design of the missile incorporates dedicated fuselage that fits in the internal bays of the Joint Strike Fighter.
It is intended to achieve high accuracy in striking military targets like command and control facilities, SAM sites, parked aircraft and surface ships.
Development
According to the TUBITAK-SAGE officials, the initial demonstration flights of the prototypes were completed successfully. The missile made its first guided flight on 9 August 2011 over the Black Sea. Covering more than 100 nautical miles using GPS/INS guidance, the missile successfully hit its target with high accuracy. It is planned to assess the design aspects of the missile by conducting about 30 test flights. The delivery of a first batch of missiles to the Turkish Air Force will take place by the end of 2011, following more complicated live firing tests planned for the rest of the year.Variants
TUBITAK-SAGE develops the missile in three variants:SOM A: Basic Air Force variant that is designed to engage a military target in simple strike mode by using the coordinates of the given target at the terminal stage.
SOM B Block I: Advanced Air Force variant that engages a military target in precision strike mode using imaging infrared matching at the terminal stage.
SOM B Block II: Special Air Force variant featuring a dual-stage penetrator warhead which is designed to engage strategic and well-protected assets in precision strike mode.
SOM B Block I/II variants feature a data-link for man-in-the-loop update of a waypoint.
Integration with Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)
Certification efforts are in progress to enable the SOM missile for integration with Turkish Air ForceTurkish Air Force
The Turkish Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. It ranks 3rd in NATO in terms of fleet size behind the USAF and Royal Air Force with a current inventory of 798 aircraft .-Initial stages:...
F-35 Lightning II
F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability...
.
The SOM missile is also one of the two official candidate cruise missiles, besides the Joint Strike Missile developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace of Norway, to be integrated onto the F-35 Lightning II.
The SOM Missile is the first non-US made weapon to use the Universal Armaments Interface (UAI). Accordingly, the SOM missile can be integrated onto any platform which uses UAI.
Operators
: The SOM missile has been integrated for use on TAITurkish Aerospace Industries
Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. is the center of technology in design, development, manufacturing, integration of aerospace systems, modernization and after sales support in Turkey....
produced Turkish Air Force
Turkish Air Force
The Turkish Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. It ranks 3rd in NATO in terms of fleet size behind the USAF and Royal Air Force with a current inventory of 798 aircraft .-Initial stages:...
F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
(Block 40 CCIP and Block 50) and Turkish Air Force operated F-4E 2020.