MIDDLE EAST, NORTH AFRICA Tests SOM-J and Bozok missiles

OE Watch Commentary: Turkey’s defense Source: “SOM-J ve Bozok füzeleri başarıyla test edildi (SOM-J and Bozok missiles industry showcase continued with the testing of were successfully tested),” TRT Haber, 28 July 2018. https://www.trthaber.com/ SOM-J and Bozok missiles. The accompanying haber/bilim-teknoloji/som-j-ve-bozok-fuzeleri-basariyla-test-edildi-377448.html excerpted passage from the state-owned TRT Haber reports on a statement from Turkey’s Minister of Minister of Industry and Technology, Mustafa Varank provided information on his social media accounts regarding recent tests of BOZOK, a new mini laser guided Industry and Technology, Mustafa Varank, where UAV missile and SOM-J Stand Off Missile for JSF F-35. he announced the successful testing of the SOM-J for the F-35 and Bozok, a new mini, Varank in the [statement said] our projects of Undersecretariat for Defense laser guided unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) missile. Industries are developed by TUBITAK... successfully completed the first tests. Both of them have been designed and developed by TUBITAK SAGE developed Bozok for UAVs…it has partnered with the the national TUBITAK SAGE. The article states that manufacturer of Bayraktar TB2, Baykar…With Bayraktar TB2 the first firing of the Bozok provides effective offensive capabilities Bozok successfully hit the target. for UAVs in asymmetrical warfare. A 31.10-inch …Bozok provides effective defense without jeopardizing friendly elements in an Bozok weighs slightly over 35 pounds and has a asymmetric warfare environment by giving attacking power to UAVs. Its lightweight target range of nearly six miles. On the other hand, and miniature design offers flexibility to aircrafts with limited carrying capacity. SOM-J is an air-to-surface missile to be used against With its unique design, Bozok is ahead of its competitors thanks to its robust heavily defended land targets and naval vessels. It operational capabilities. weighs 1000 pounds and has a range of over 7 miles. Tests for the development of SOM-J have been successfully carried out. It was developed for F-35 fighter jets, though it is SOM-J was developed with the aim of enabling pilots to strike long range targets projected to be used by F-16 fighter jets by 2019. It while maintaining critical invisibility during the secret flights of F-35… has the capability to be undetected by radar and it has high precision navigation with INS/GPS/TRN/ The SOM-J especially has capability towards tightly protected land and sea targets IBN, marking additional developments in the Turkish without being detected. With a navigational system that can keep itself following the defense industry. End OE Watch Commentary earth’s shape, it is able to hide itself to reach its targets with a high precision rate. (Gunduz)

“SOM-J was developed with the aim of enabling pilots to strike long range targets while maintaining critical invisibility during the secret flights of F-35...”

SOM Mockup. Source: By Noblemouse [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SOM_cruise_missile_mockup_on_MSPO_2014.jpeg.

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