Lockheed Martin Teams with Roketsan of Turkey on New Standoff Missile for the F-35

Roketsan and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control signed a Teaming Agreement on Oct. 22, 2014 for collaboration on the SOM-J, a new generation air-to-surface Standoff Cruise Missile for the F-35 Lightning II.

The SOM System is as an autonomous, long range, low observable, all weather, high precision air-to-surface cruise missile. The SOM-J variant is designed specifically for internal carriage on F-35 aircraft. The companies will jointly develop, produce, market, sell and support SOM-J for internal carriage on F-35 aircraft or external carriage on other aircraft. Rick Edwards, executive vice president of the Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control business area; and Roketsan Chairman of the Board Eyüp Kaptan; signed the agreement. “Lockheed Martin has a long history of partnership with the Republic of Turkey and we look forward to working closely with Roketsan on this very important project,” Edwards said. “SOM-J will provide the F-35 and other aircraft an exceptional capability to meet the most challenging mission requirements. We look forward to combining the skills and know-how of our two great companies to produce a world-class system to meet customers‘ expanding needs for long-range, survivable cruise missile technology.” Eyüp Kaptan said, “As Roketsan, we believe this teaming will increase the attention on SOM-J and present an superior solution to fulfil the requirements of Anti Surface Warfare capabilities on the F-35 aircraft. Together with Lockheed Martin, we value our cooperation and extend the business opportunities in the future between our companies” Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 113,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s net sales for 2013 were $45.4 billion. Roketsan Inc. was founded in 1988 for the purpose of “possessing a leading institution in the country for designing, developing and manufacturing rockets and missiles”. Roketsan is rapidly going forward to become a global company in defense industries sector with personnel of more than 1800, 51% of which comprise engineers, an invested capital of TL 4 Billion and its accumulation of technologic knowledge. Roketsan has become a corporation, the operations of which now extend beyond the borders of the country, which participates in NATO programs in its field of technology and is capable of supplying its products to friendly countries besides the Turkish Armed Forces.