The Army’s new Precision Strike Missile achieved its anticipated delivery milestone following a successful production qualification flight test. Image courtesy of U.S. Army Public Affairs.

On 8 December, 2023, the US Army announced the first delivery of its next-generation Long Range Precision Fires missile (PrSM). 

PrSM is capable of being deployed from the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) or the M270A2 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS). The missile can engage targets at distances exceeding 400km, and incorporates an open-systems architecture design that allows for potential future expansion.

According to Doug Bush, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, the Precision Strike Missile is expected to offer Joint Force commanders a reliable and versatile capability to effectively address the enemy’s combat manoeuvre and air defence operations in various weather conditions, ensuring operational readiness around the clock.

The Army designed the PrSM for a multi-domain battlefield, to defeat missile launchers, command-and-control centres and air defence threats at any depth, according to remarks from Bush, speaking at an Association of the US Army Annual Meeting and Exposition panel on 11 October, 2022.

The PrSM is an improvement over the existing Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles. It will replace the US Army’s current inventory of non-insensitive munitions and the cluster munition policy-compliant ATACMS.

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Lockheed Martin was awarded the sole source contract for the Enhanced TMRR (ETMRR) phase in December 2019, following the completion of the first flight test of its prototype at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

The delivery of PrSM Increment 1 Early Operational Capability missiles followed a series of successful production qualification tests conducted in November at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. Moving forward, Lockheed Martin will be increasing its manufacturing efforts to meet the demand for subsequent deliveries of PrSM. This will involve producing additional EOC missiles to fulfil the current contracts that support the Army’s modernisation priorities.

“Thanks to the close collaboration between Army and Lockheed Martin teams, we accelerated PrSM’s development program on an aggressive schedule to deliver this next-generation missile faster than ever before,” said Jay Price, vice president of Precision Fires at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “We’re proud to help the Army achieve this top modernisation priority for long-range deterrent capability.”