Turkish Air Force to Receive SOM-B1T Cruise Missiles in Acceptance at ROKETSAN
Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence says an acceptance activity for a quantity of SOM-B1T missiles for the Turkish Air Force will take place at ROKETSAN on 13-17 July.
Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) said an acceptance activity for a quantity of SOM-B1T missiles destined for the Turkish Air Force will be carried out at ROKETSAN facilities on 13-17 July. The information was shared during the ministry’s weekly press briefing.
An acceptance activity is the process by which a munition is inspected and tested at the producer’s plant before entering service. The step indicates that serial deliveries of the SOM family of cruise missiles are continuing.
The SOM family and the B1T
SOM (Stand-off Missile) is an air-launched cruise-missile family developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE and produced with ROKETSAN. Its core purpose is to let an aircraft strike targets accurately while staying beyond the reach of enemy air defences. With a range exceeding 250 km, the missile cruises at low altitude to complicate radar detection and combines GPS/inertial navigation with terminal seeker guidance.
The family splits into variants for different missions: the land-attack B1, an anti-ship profile, and the SOM-J designed to fit inside the F-35’s internal weapons bay. The B1T is an evolved member carried by the F-16 and similar platforms.
Reach for the air force
Stand-off munitions are central to modern air operations. By engaging from a distance, the aircraft and its pilot stay outside the risk envelope of hostile air-defence systems. A growing SOM inventory directly strengthens the Turkish Air Force’s deterrent deep-strike capability.
Run jointly by ROKETSAN and TÜBİTAK SAGE, the SOM programme is one of the clearest examples of Türkiye’s strategy to reduce dependence on foreign missiles and munitions, and an increasingly visible item for its defence exports.
Sources: Turkish MND weekly press briefing and public programme information.
