Lockheed Martin ramps up PrSM missile output to 400 a year for U.S. Army.

Lockheed Martin has begun preparing for large-scale production of the Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM, following U.S. Army approval to move the program into full-rate manufacturing. The company plans to produce up to 400 missiles per year to rapidly expand long-range strike capacity for HIMARS and MLRS units.

North Bethesda, Maryland, United States, October 9, 2025 - Lockheed Martin is accelerating plans to build as many as 400 Precision Strike Missiles annually under the U.S. Army’s newly approved production phase, signaling one of the fastest missile ramp-ups in modern Army procurement. The move follows the Army’s Milestone C decision and marks the start of full-rate manufacturing for the long-range precision weapon that will equip HIMARS and M270 rocket launchers worldwide.
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 Lockheed Martin’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) delivers next-generation long-range firepower, designed to neutralize and destroy high-value targets across the modern battlespace in support of Joint All-Domain Operations. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War)

This acquisition milestone follows just months after Lockheed secured a $4.94 billion contract from the U.S. Army, designed to accelerate the shift from prototype production to large-scale manufacturing. With Early Operational Capability (EOC) missiles already in the field, the Pentagon has moved from concept to committed deployment in record time.

While the production target of 400 PrSM missiles per year may appear ambitious, Lockheed Martin has confirmed that the ramp-up is already underway. According to program officials, industrial investments began well before the Milestone C approval. The company’s Camden, Arkansas facility has expanded its production lines to support continuous missile integration. Meanwhile, critical suppliers are delivering long-lead components at accelerated rates to prevent bottlenecks. The company states that this production tempo is aligned with both U.S. Army demand and growing international interest, especially from Australia and several NATO allies.

From a force structure standpoint, the impact of 400 PrSMs annually is considerable. Each missile delivers more than double the range of the legacy ATACMS system, with a slimmer design and modular upgrades that offer greater flexibility. Crucially, PrSM is compatible with the M142 HIMARS and M270A2 MLRS launchers already deployed worldwide. This compatibility allows field commanders to double their launcher firepower without requiring new vehicles or retraining personnel.

A single HIMARS now carries two PrSMs per launch pod, effectively doubling its deep-strike capacity while maintaining its shoot-and-scoot agility. In modern high-threat environments, where survivability and mobility are essential, this enhances the Army’s ability to neutralize critical enemy infrastructure, disrupt command and control nodes, and dominate the battlespace across multiple domains. Combined with satellite-based targeting and persistent intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance (ISR) feeds, PrSM-equipped units can now deliver strategic effects at tactical ranges.

PrSM vs. ATACMS: A Generational Leap in U.S. Fires Capability

The Precision Strike Missile represents a clean break from the aging MGM-140 ATACMS, which was first fielded in the 1990s. ATACMS had a range of approximately 300 kilometers, used a single large missile per pod, and employed a variety of warhead configurations, including cluster munitions that are now restricted under current international norms.

In contrast, PrSM features a streamlined design that enables two missiles to be loaded per pod on existing launchers. It extends strike range to over 500 kilometers and is guided by a combination of GPS and inertial navigation systems. Its open architecture design allows for modular upgrades to guidance, warheads, or seekers, ensuring adaptability for future missions.

Tactically, this provides exponential advantages. A HIMARS battery that once delivered six ATACMS missiles can now deliver 12 PrSMs, reaching twice the distance. This leap in firepower allows Army commanders to conduct high-value strikes into denied environments, including those protected by advanced air defenses, without relying on manned aircraft or joint fires coordination.

As Lockheed Martin emphasized during the October 8 announcement, PrSM marks the most significant transformation of U.S. ground-based fires since the end of the Cold War. The system has already been designated as a core priority by Army Futures Command, and it anchors the broader Long-Range Precision Fires (LRPF) modernization portfolio.

HIMARS Launchers Become Strategic Strike Tools

The HIMARS and M270 MLRS launchers are no longer just theater artillery platforms. With PrSM integration, they now offer strategic-level strike capabilities. Previously, the HIMARS platform was most often used to fire GMLRS rockets, which were effective but limited in range to around 70 to 90 kilometers. PrSM extends that reach by a factor of five, without any fundamental change to the launcher or its logistical support.

This transformation is especially critical in contested zones like the Indo-Pacific and Eastern Europe. In these environments, the ability to remain dispersed while delivering concentrated firepower is vital. HIMARS, with its wheeled chassis and air transportability, is highly mobile and can deploy rapidly to austere environments. Now, with PrSM, that same launcher can deliver strategic effects deep into enemy-controlled territory from standoff positions.

This leap forward also means the Army does not need to procure new launch platforms. Instead, it multiplies the effectiveness of the launchers already in service. The shift dramatically reduces procurement costs while delivering immediate operational impact.

Strategic Imperative for a Modern Battlefield

The urgency behind the PrSM missile is not just about performance. It reflects the Army’s understanding that modern warfare demands rapid, precise, long-range strike capabilities that can operate in denied and degraded environments.

With adversaries like Russia and China fielding advanced layered air defense systems and operating under anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategies, traditional fires platforms are at growing risk. PrSM enables Army formations to:

- Strike critical infrastructure well behind enemy lines without relying on air assets
- Engage targets before joint forces arrive, shaping the theater in advance
- Destroy enemy air defenses to enable follow-on operations
- Sustain deterrent pressure by offering constant, ground-based precision fires

Recent conflicts, especially in Ukraine, have demonstrated that artillery and missile stockpiles can be rapidly depleted. The PrSM program addresses not only capability gaps but also logistical and industrial readiness. Producing 400 missiles annually ensures the Army can maintain both operational reserves and rapid replenishment capacity in a prolonged conflict.

U.S. and Allied Integration in a Fires-Centric Strategy

Lockheed Martin has confirmed that production is not limited to U.S. Army requirements. Foreign partners are expected to begin receiving PrSM through Foreign Military Sales agreements. Australia, under its LAND 8113 program, is among the first aligned nations to incorporate HIMARS and PrSM into its long-range fires doctrine. Eastern European NATO members are also exploring acquisition pathways, given the heightened threat environment along NATO’s eastern flank.

This allied adoption not only strengthens interoperability but also expands industrial demand, helping to stabilize the supply base and reduce unit costs over time. As partners join the PrSM ecosystem, the strategic deterrent value of the missile is further amplified across regions.

Overcoming the Challenges of Mass Production

Lockheed Martin’s production ramp-up to 400 PrSM missiles per year is a bold target and not without challenges. Scaling production of a precision-guided weapon system at this pace requires exacting coordination across a multi-tier supply chain. The company has instituted dual quality assurance cells, enhanced factory analytics, and real-time inspection systems to monitor integration tolerances and eliminate defects early.

The Army, for its part, is tightening its oversight as well. Acceptance testing, component traceability, and environmental stress testing are being intensified to ensure that performance remains consistent as volume increases.

Beyond technical concerns, the risk of industrial overextension remains. Demand spikes in other missile domains—such as hypersonic weapons or air defense interceptors—could put pressure on shared suppliers. Lockheed has already taken early steps to de-risk these variables by diversifying key inputs and investing in vertical integration for sensitive components.

Milestone C approval for PrSM is not just a programmatic checkpoint. It marks a turning point in how the U.S. Army fights. The transition to full-rate production and the goal of 400 missiles annually transforms rocket artillery from a support arm into a central pillar of U.S. and allied strike capabilities.

With each PrSM delivery, the Army gains a more agile, survivable, and precise means of projecting force deep into adversary territory. For Lockheed Martin, this is the realization of a complex industrial challenge. For Army units on the ground, it is the arrival of a long-overdue capability that will define the next generation of fires dominance.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.