The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) is a new weapon system that aims to provide the US Army with long-range precision fires capabilities.
The PrSM is a surface-to-surface ballistic missile that can be launched from both tracked and wheeled platforms, such as the M270A2 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
The missile has a modular design that allows for future upgrades and enhancements, such as different seekers and warheads. The PrSM is designed to attack, neutralize, suppress, and destroy a variety of targets, including enemy air defenses, command and control centers, logistics hubs, and hardened structures.
The PrSM program started in 2016 as a replacement for the aging MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), which has a range of about 300 km. The PrSM is expected to have a range of at least 500 km in its initial version, and up to 1,000 km or more in its future increments.
The PrSM will also have improved accuracy, survivability, and responsiveness compared to the ATACMS. The PrSM will use an insensitive munition (IM) propulsion system and an IM energetic payload that are safer to handle and store than conventional explosives.
The PrSM is being developed by Lockheed Martin, which won a competitive contract from the US Army in 2017. The company conducted several successful flight tests of the PrSM in 2020 and 2021, demonstrating its performance and reliability.
The PrSM is expected to achieve initial operational capability (IOC) by 2023, and full operational capability (FOC) by 2025. The US Army plans to procure about 1,000 PrSM missiles over the next decade.
The PrSM is a key element of the US Army’s long-range precision fires (LRPF) portfolio, which is one of its top modernization priorities. The LRPF aims to provide the Army with overmatch capabilities against near-peer adversaries, such as China and Russia, in contested environments.
The LRPF also supports the concept of multi-domain operations (MDO), which involves integrating land, air, sea, space, and cyberspace domains to achieve decisive effects across the spectrum of conflict.
The PrSM is a game-changing weapon system that will enhance the US Army’s ability to strike targets at long distances with precision and speed. The PrSM will also enable the Army to operate more effectively in complex anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) scenarios, where enemy forces use advanced sensors and weapons to deny access and maneuver to friendly forces.
The PrSM will provide the Army with a flexible and scalable option to deliver lethal fires across multiple domains and regions.
