DECEMBER 11, 2023 – The U.S. Army announced today the initial delivery of its next-generation Long Range Precision Fires missile.
The delivery of Precision Strike Missile Increment 1 Early Operational Capability missiles follows successful production qualification testing in November at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
The PrSM is the Army’s next-generation Long Range Precision Fires weapon.
Launched from M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and M270A2 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, it is capable of neutralizing targets at standoffs greater than 400 kilometers.
The PrSM features an open-systems architecture design to accommodate future growth.
“The Precision Strike Missile will provide Joint Force commanders with a 24/7, all-weather capability that will counter the enemy’s ability to conduct combat maneuver and air defense operations,” said Doug Bush, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. “The rapid development and delivery of this capability is a prime example of the Army’s aggressive use of new acquisition authorities from Congress that allow us to move at much greater speed to get improved equipment to Soldiers.”
The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) is a surface-tosurface, all-weather, precision-strike guided missile fired from the M270A2 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
The baseline missile (Increment 1) will be developed and fielded to engage a wide variety of point and imprecisely located targets at ranges greater than 400 kilometers (km).
Primary emphasis for follow-on spirals is increased range, lethality, and engagement of time-sensitive, moving, hardened, and fleeting targets.
The PrSM provides field artillery units with a long-range and deep strike capability while supporting brigade, division, corps, Army, theater, joint/coalition forces, and Marine Air-Ground Task Forces in full, limited, or expeditionary operations.
PrSM will replace the existing aged inventory of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and provide a new compliance for Insensitive Munitions and Cluster Munition policy.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Replaces ATACMS and doubles volume-of-fire with two missiles per launch pod
- 400-plus km ballistic missile with a cluster munition compliant payload
- Attacks critical time-sensitive area and point targets
- Maintains or improves accuracy in partial Global Positioning System (GPS)-degraded environments, planned for M-Code GPS integration
- Insensitive Munition compliant system
- Launcher compatibility with M270A2 MLRS and M142 HIMARS
- Technology upgrades via Modular Open Systems Architecture
- Growth capabilities for follow-on spirals
- Includes Cyber Security requirements
Story by Darrell Ames
Program Executive Office Missiles and Space