US Army, Raytheon complete DeepStrike missile preliminary design review.

Raytheon and the U.S. Army completed a successful preliminary design review for the new DeepStrike surface-to-surface missile, moving the weapon down the development path toward its first flight tests planned for later this year. This new long-range weapon doubles the firepower and reduces the cost.

Raytheon's new DeepStrike surface-to-surface missile (Picture source: Raytheon)

The DeepStrike missile meets the Army's Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM, requirement, and will replace the current missile that was designed in the 1970s and is approaching the end of its service life. During the Preliminary Design Review, the Army evaluated every aspect of the new missile's design, from its advanced propulsion system and innovative lethality package to its guidance system. "Completion of Raytheon's PrSM Preliminary Design Review helps us accelerate development and fielding of this high priority Army program," said Col. Chris Mills, U.S. Army program manager for Precision Fires, Rocket and Missile Systems. "We are now ready to move to test and integration activities that will lead to a demonstration of PrSM's new capabilities."

Featuring an innovative, two-in-the-pod design, and many other advancements, Raytheon's new long-range precision strike missile will fly farther, faster and pack more punch than the current weapon. The DeepStrike missile will defeat fixed land targets 60-499 kilometers away, improve effectiveness and responsiveness compared to current systems, and restore the Army's capability to overmatch adversaries. It will also be upgradable to keep U.S. soldiers ahead of the threat.

Previous program milestones include the successful integration of DeepStrike's new launch pod missile container into the Army's M142 HIMARS and M270 MLRS launchers.