US Army confirms Precision Strike Missile's capability to engage enemy ballistic missiles.

On February 12, 2025, the U.S. Army conducted a flight test at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, involving two Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Increment 1 engagements. Fired from an M142 HIMARS, both missiles followed their intended trajectories and engaged multiple targets, including a surrogate Scud ballistic missile, radar installations, and rotary-wing platforms. Lockheed Martin stated that this was a step toward full-rate production, following previous test flights in November and the first soldier-led test in December 2024.
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Measuring approximately 4 meters in length and 430 millimeters in diameter, the PrSM's design enables two missiles per launch pod, doubling the payload of M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and M142 HIMARS. (Picture source: US Army)

Initially developed under the Long Range Precision Fires (LRPF) program, the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) is the U.S. Army's next-generation, surface-to-surface missile, replacing the older MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). Measuring approximately 4 meters in length and 430 millimeters in diameter, the PrSM's design enables two missiles per launch pod, doubling the payload of M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and M142 HIMARS launchers when compared to the single-missile ATACMS pods.

Featuring a solid-propellant rocket motor, this new short-range ballistic missile employs an inertial navigation system (INS) with GPS guidance. Its pre-formed tungsten fragmentation warhead is suited for a variety of high-value targets, including air defense systems, missile launchers, command and control centers, and troop assembly areas. Additionally, the PrSM features an open-systems architecture, allowing for modular upgrades and future modifications.

Development of the PrSM began in March 2016, with Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon competing for the contract. By early 2020, Boeing and Raytheon had withdrawn from the competition, leaving Lockheed Martin as the sole developer. The US Army received the first batch of PrSM missiles on December 8, 2023. Subsequent tests in June 2024 included the sinking of the decommissioned Austin-class amphibious transport dock USS Cleveland in the North Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Island Range Complex, marking the first recorded use of the PrSM against a moving target. Moreover, a recently awarded contract, valued at up to $120 million, will support tooling efforts to increase production capacity to 400 missiles per year.

The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) was originally constrained by the 500 km range limitation imposed by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. However, the U.S. withdrawal from the treaty in 2019 enabled the development of extended-range variants. The PrSM Increment 1, for instance, has an official range exceeding 500 km, while future increments are expected to enhance target acquisition and engagement with a new multi-mode seeker.

This technology, expected to be integrated into PrSM Increment 2, will enable the missile to track and strike moving targets on both land and sea. Increment 2, also referred to as the Land-Based Anti-Ship Missile (LBASM), is being developed in collaboration with Australia, which signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Army in July 2021. Australia has committed to acquiring PrSM Increments 3 and 4, expanding its long-range strike capabilities. Increment 3 is expected to introduce enhanced warhead configurations for increased effectiveness against hardened targets, while Increment 4 will focus on propulsion and aerodynamic refinements to extend the missile’s range beyond 1,000 km, doubling the range of existing systems.

Additionally, the US Army is considering a fifth iteration of the PrSM that could be compatible with autonomous launch platforms such as the Autonomous Multi-domain Launcher (AML), an unmanned variant of the M142 HIMARS. Brigadier General Rory Crooks, leading the Long-Range Precision Fires Cross-Functional Team, has stated that this effort remains in the science and technology phase, exploring potential designs for integration with unmanned ground vehicles.