On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, the American company Lockheed Martin announced that the US Army has begun independent user testing (known as Soldier-led Limited User Test, LUT) of the new ballistic missiles codenamed Precision Strike Missile (PrSM).
Photo: Lockheed Martin
Two PrSM missiles were launched at a distant target (the distance was not disclosed – editor’s note) from a multi-launch rocket system mounted on an Oshkosh M1140 FMTV (Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles) chassis, part of the M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System), at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Until now, such tests had been conducted under the supervision of the manufacturer and only in cooperation with the US Army. This time, the military independently carried out all phases of the launch process.
“The PrSM program has consistently demonstrated the ability to deliver accurate and reliable performance,” said Carolyn Orzechowski, vice president of Precision Fires Launchers and Missiles at Lockheed Martin. “This achievement underscores the program’s maturity and reinforces the system’s reliability for our Army partner.”
The previous test, a simultaneous launch using two PrSM missiles, took place at the same range on November 19 of this year.
The official range of the PrSM is over 400 km, but it was extended to 700 km following the expiration of the INF Treaty. Currently, work is underway on the PrSM Increment 4 variant, which will receive a separate designation, LRMF (Long Range Maneuverable Fires), with a range of up to 1000 km (previously known as PrSM-ER, for Extended Range).
Deliveries of serially-produced missiles, designated Precision Strike Missile Increment 1 Early Operational Capability, began in December of last year as part of low-rate initial production (LRIP). In March of this year, the fourth production contract was awarded. The framework agreement covers 1,018 missiles, while the total procurement plans include at least 3,986 missiles in the PrSM Increment 1 version.
These missiles will succeed the MGM-140A/M39 and MGM-140B/M39A1 ATACMS, which have a range of 165 to 300 km and are launched from M142 HIMARS launchers, and subsequently from M270A2 MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System). According to the US Army Department’s request for the Fiscal Year 2024 defense budget (NDAA), the unit cost of PrSM Increment 1 is less than 3.5 million USD. The M142 launcher is capable of carrying two PrSM missiles simultaneously, while the M270A2 can carry four missiles. The PrSM Increment 1 is armed with a 91-kg warhead (either cluster or high-explosive fragmentation).
At the same time, work is underway on a new anti-ship version, LBASM (Land-Based Anti-Ship Missile), whose first test was conducted on June 16 of this year during the SINKEX episode of the Valiant Shield 24 exercise in the Pacific Ocean. The test utilized a prototype of the AML (Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher), an unmanned, autonomous missile launcher.
In addition to the US Army, the first export user of the PrSM missiles will be Australia, which joined the program on August 12, 2021. The missiles will be launched from the M142 HIMARS launchers.