Turkish Roketsan, Lockheed Martin sign missile deal

ANKARA – Reuters

Turkish Roketsan and Lockheed Martin signed an agreement yesterday on the design, production and marketing of the SOM (Stand-off Missile), which could be used in F-35s. The agreement was signed in the attendance of representatives from the two companies, as well as from Turkey’s Undersecretary for Defense Industries.

The two companies will work together to enable the SOM-J, a variant of the SOM, to be available in the U.S. and all F-35 using countries. They will also pursue marketing activities in other countries.

“SOM-J missiles will provide extraordinary capability during the challenging missions of F-35s and other planes,” said the Executive Vice President of Missiles & Fire Control of Lockheed Martin.

Developed since 2006 by defense research and development institute TÜBİTAK-Sage, the SOM is Turkey’s first domestic weapon to attack stationary and moving targets at a standoff distance of more than 180 kilometers. The SOM-J is known as a reduced size version of the SOM.

The multi-purpose F-35 fighter jets are being produced by the U.S.-based arms producer Lockheed Martin. Turkey became a member of the international F-35 consortium in 1999. Other partners of the consortium include the U.K., Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Norway and Denmark. Turkey had previously said it would buy 100 F-35s.