SOM-B1 air-launched cruise missile fitted with Kale’s KTJ-3200 turbojet engine hit the target successfully in the first firing test with the indigenous engine.

Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır shared the first firing test of the SOM B1 air-launched cruise missile fitted with the KTJ-3200 turbojet engine in place of the French-made TR40 turbojet engine. The missile launched by an F-16 hit the static target with a terminal dive.

SOM-B1 was on display during the Turkish MoD’s press meeting in front of the test aircraft of the 401st Test Squadron a week before the announcement of the test with KTJ-3200.

(Photo Credit Cem Doğut)

SOM-B1

SOM-B1 is the configuration of a SOM-B cruise missile fitted with a 230 kg HE-FRAG warhead, whereas SOM-B2 uses a penetrating-shaped charge warhead. SOM-B family is the second instalment in the SOM series of cruise missiles, introducing an IIR seeker with automatic target recognition capability lacked by SOM-A. SOM-B1 can reach a range of 250 km and be used against various surface targets.

KTJ-3200

Kale Jet Engines developed KTJ-3200 to answer the need for an indigenous turbojet engine to be used for Atmaca and SOM missiles in place of the TR40 turbojet engine from France. The engine, weighing 50 kg, has a thrust of 3.2 kN and an altitude envelope of sea level to 6000 m.

KTJ-3200 was previously tested on the Atmaca anti-ship missile, launched by an 8x8 truck. The engine’s uprated derivative KTJ-3700 is used by the Atmaca UM land attack cruise missile, which was tested at a range of 400 km.

In addition to milestones in Turkiye, KTJ-3200 was recently selected as the engine for the Brazilian-Emirati MANSUP-ER anti-ship missile during LAAD 2025.

Author: Kaan Azman

Editor: Özgür Ekşi