Türkiye stuns with anti-ship missile equipped with "AI eye"

The SOM-J cruise missile, a "Made in Türkiye" product from the talented hands of TÜBİTAK SAGE and Roketsan, represents a quantum leap in anti-ship weapons technology.

With its compact, modular design, the SOM-J missile is optimized to be carried on modern aviation platforms such as the F-16, F-35 or even unmanned combat aircraft (UCAV) , giving the Turkish air force more flexibility than ever in long-range strike missions.

With a length of only 3.9 meters and a launch weight of about 540 kg, the SOM-J missile can be easily integrated under the wing or in the aircraft compartment, minimizing the burden on the aircraft while still ensuring terrible destructive power.

In terms of technical specifications, the SOM-J missile has an impressive range of 200 to 275km, allowing it to "reach out" to sink enemy warships without having to get close, reducing risks for the pilot.

High subsonic flight speed helps the missile maintain secrecy, combined with terrain-following and especially sea-skimming flight at extremely low altitudes – just a few meters above the water surface.

Thanks to that, the SOM-J missile can "hide" from enemy radars, making turns to avoid advanced defense systems, as demonstrated in a recent test when it flew through a complex maritime environment without being detected.

The SOM-J missile 's guidance system is the real "brain", combining anti-jamming inertial navigation (INS), anti-jamming GPS, terrain navigation (TRN), global terrain navigation (GRNS) and an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker in the terminal phase.

The highlight is the datalink that allows real-time target updates, even supporting coordinated attacks with other weapons. The 140kg high-explosive fragmentation or semi-armor-piercing warhead is powerful enough to disable a medium-sized destroyer, making the SOM-J missile a "hero" in modern operations in the Aegean or Black Sea.

The October 13 live-fire test from an F-16 made history: the SOM-J missile separated from the aircraft, dived to sea-skimming altitude, maintained a low trajectory, and ended with a precise hit on a fixed sea target.

This is not only a testament to the maturity of Türkiye's domestic technology but also paves the way for exports, helping Ankara reduce its dependence on foreign supplies and strengthen its position in NATO.

The indigenous development by TÜBİTAK SAGE and Roketsan reinforces Turkey's strategy of technological self-reliance, helping it reduce its dependence on foreign arms supplies, enhance its deterrence capabilities, and open up export potential to enhance its diplomatic and defense economic influence.