SOM ( missile ) SOM Cruise Missile ( ) is a high precision cruise missile , which can be launched from land , sea and air platforms developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE , Defence Research and Development Institute of Turkey . It was first revealed during the 100th anniversary celebrations of the Turkish Air Force at the Çiğli Air Base 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 . Although being developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE which still holds authority over the design of the missile , Roketsan has been given the role of producing and marketing the missile for export . 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 System 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 . Development . Tests . 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 . Range . While initially the range of the missile was announced to be 100 nmi , debates arose in local press around the missile ' s real range after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan unexpectedly set objectives for the development of a missile with a range of at the plenary session of the High Science and Technology Council on December 28 , 2011 . Shortly after , head of the State Scientific Research Administration ( TÜBİTAK ) Yücel Altınbaşak informed that they set a task to develop the missile to within 2 years . " The SOM missile is currently tested for range and successfully achieved precision goal , demonstrating around accuracy in live fires . We are planning to start range tests this year . Later the range will be extended to and finally to in 2014 " , he said . Variants . TUBITAK - SAGE developed the missile in three variants with varying warheads and guidance / communication packages : Integration with Joint Strike Fighter ( JSF ) . Certification efforts are in progress to enable the SOM missile for integration with both Turkish Air Force F - 35 Lightning II and NATO allied F - 35 . Due to its advanced design and performance the SOM cruise 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 Block 4 . On the 10th of May 2013 , Lockheed Martin officially announced at the F - 35 Industry Recognition Event during the IDEF tradeshow that the SOM missile will be certified and deployed on the F - 35 . The SOM Missile is the first non - U . S . made weapon to use the Universal Armaments Interface ( UAI ) . Accordingly , the SOM missile can be integrated onto any platform which uses UAI .