Precision Strike Missile
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The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM; ) is a
short-range ballistic missile A short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) is a ballistic missile with a range of to . In past and potential regional conflicts, these missiles have been and would be used because of the short distances between some countries and their relative low c ...
developed by the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
to replace the
MGM-140 ATACMS The MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS ) is a supersonic tactical ballistic missile designed and manufactured by the American defense company Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV), and later, through acquisitions, Lockheed Martin. The missile uses ...
. The US Army announced that the first PrSM batch was delivered in December 2023.


Development

In March 2016,
Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American Arms industry, defense and aerospace manufacturer with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta on March 15, 1995. It is headquartered in North ...
,
Boeing The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...
, and
Raytheon Raytheon is a business unit of RTX Corporation and is a major U.S. defense contractor and industrial corporation with manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. Founded in 1922, it merged in 2020 with Unite ...
announced they would bid on a missile to meet the US Army's
Long Range Precision Fires The Field Artillery Branch is the field artillery branch of the United States Army. This branch, alongside the infantry and cavalry branches, was formerly considered to be one of the "classic" combat arms branches (defined as those branches of ...
(LRPF) requirement to replace the ATACMS. The PrSM will use advanced propulsion technology to fly faster and farther (originally out to ). It is also designed to be thinner and sleeker, increasing the number of missiles per pod to two, and doubling the capacity of the
M270 MLRS The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (M270 MLRS) is an American armored self-propelled multiple launch rocket system. The U.S. Army variant of the M270 is based on the chassis of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The first M270s were delivered ...
and
M142 HIMARS The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS ) is a light multiple rocket launcher developed in the late 1990s for the United States Army and mounted on a standard U.S. Army Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) M1140 truck fram ...
launchers. Boeing and Raytheon were involved in the competitive effort, but both left the competition in early 2020, leaving Lockheed Martin to develop the missile. The weapon was planned to achieve
initial operational capability Initial operating capability or initial operational capability (IOC) is the state achieved when a capability is available in its minimum usefully deployable form. The term is often used in government or military procurement. The United States D ...
in 2023; the initial PrSM will only be able to hit stationary targets on land, but later versions will track moving targets on land and sea. With the United States withdrawal from the
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) was an arms control treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union (and its successor state, the Russia, Russian Federation). President of the United States, US President Ronald Rea ...
, the range of the PrSM is to be increased beyond the limitation imposed by the treaty. In June 2020, the Army had begun testing a new multi-mode seeker, an upgrade for the Precision Strike Missile. The upgraded seeker is expected to be part of a major program improvement planned for 2025. Technological advancements including the potential application of
ramjet A ramjet is a form of airbreathing jet engine that requires forward motion of the engine to provide air for combustion. Ramjets work most efficiently at supersonic speeds around and can operate up to . Ramjets can be particularly appropriat ...
technology could extend the weapon's range up to . In July 2021, the US announced that Australia had become a partner in the PrSM Program with the
Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...
signing a memorandum of understanding for Increment 2 (Land-Based Anti-Ship Missile) of the program with the US Army's Defense Exports and Cooperation and had contributed . In January 2024, Australia committed to continue the partnership with the United States and will subsequently also purchase PrSM Increments 3 and 4. This will extend the range of Australia's PrSM missiles beyond 1,000 km (620 mi) and will potentially rival Australia's longest range missile, the
BGM-109 Tomahawk The BGM-109 Tomahawk () Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is an American long-range, all-weather, jet-powered, Subsonic flight, subsonic cruise missile that is primarily used by the United States Navy and Royal Navy in ship and submarine-based land-att ...
. In June 2025, the country signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States to jointly develop the missile. The United Kingdom, as part of an upgrade to the
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
's M270 MLRS to the M270A2 standard, has hinted that it may possibly acquire PrSM. On 8 December 2023, the US Army announced that the first PrSM batch had been delivered. On 17 June 2024, the decommissioned was sunk as a target ship in the North Pacific Ocean's Mariana Island Range Complex, apparently in the 1st test of the PrSM on a moving target. On 26 August 2024, it was announced that the US has turned down a request from Norway to acquire the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM). On 23 January 2025, the Baltic Defence Cooperation Ministerial Committee expressed the common interest of the
Baltic States The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term encompassing Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, and the OECD. The three sovereign states on the eastern co ...
in the acquisition of the HIMARS Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) by signing the Joint Statement.


Variants

The PrSM has four "increments" either in development or to be developed.


Increment One

Increment One is the current missile in use by the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
. It has a treaty-bound range of , and does not contain a multi-mode seeker. It is gradually replacing the
MGM-140 ATACMS The MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS ) is a supersonic tactical ballistic missile designed and manufactured by the American defense company Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV), and later, through acquisitions, Lockheed Martin. The missile uses ...
tactical ballistic missiles.


Land Based Anti-Ship Missile (Inc 2)

Increment Two of the PrSM is known officially as the Land Based Anti-Ship Missile (LBASM). LBASM features a multi-mode seeker, unlike Increment One, enabling it to traverse area denied areas with more ease. As LBASM was in development following the US withdrawal from the
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) was an arms control treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union (and its successor state, the Russia, Russian Federation). President of the United States, US President Ronald Rea ...
in 2019, its range is to be increased beyond the previous threshold, up to an expected range, as well as increasing the speed of the missile. As the name suggests, the LBASM will be an
anti-ship ballistic missile An anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) is a military ballistic missile system designed to hit a warship at sea. Due to the high flight speed of ballistic missiles, an ASBM's kinetic energy alone may be sufficient to cripple or outright des ...
, and in collaboration with the multi-mode seeker will have the ability to engage moving targets. It is understood that the first procurement of the missile is to be completed in FY2028, with the
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
and the
Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...
then receiving them. A first live test was conducted in 2024.


Increment Three

Increment Three of the missile will include most of the same technology of Increments One and Two. Its main addition is to be the extension of the variety of armaments for the missile can carry, with it likely carrying more explosive munitions. For Increment Three it is to be designed for use as an anti-fortification weapon, likely being able to destroy more structures. There is no information available as to when Increment Three is to be procured by the
United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...
or the Australian Army. However it is believed they will be made available following Increments one, two and four. According to Lockheed Martin, a new warhead will be included in Increment Three, and the Army is looking at including submunition capabilities, including the Raytheon Coyote drone family and the Orbital ATK Hatchet miniature glide bomb.


Increment Four

Increment Four has a focus on the extension of the range of the missile, whilst containing most of the technology of Increments One, Two, and likely Three. Four will aim to extend the range beyond the range of Increment One, as well as the range of Increment Two. It will advance the technology of propulsion, and aerodynamics to achieve this range. Increment Four is currently being competed for contracts by;
Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American Arms industry, defense and aerospace manufacturer with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta on March 15, 1995. It is headquartered in North ...
, as well as a combined
Raytheon Raytheon is a business unit of RTX Corporation and is a major U.S. defense contractor and industrial corporation with manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. Founded in 1922, it merged in 2020 with Unite ...
-
Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational Aerospace manufacturer, aerospace and Arms industry, defense company. With 97,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $40 billion, it is one of the world's largest Arms industry ...
team.


Increment Five

In December 2024, the director of the Long-Range Precision Fires Cross Functional Team, Brig. Gen. Rory Crooks, separately explained that initial work on a fifth increment is underway, and a science and technology development initiative will kick-off in fiscal year 2026. The idea, he explained, is to design a missile that can be fired from an autonomous vehicle. "If you’re familiar with an 270 Multiple Launch Rocket SystemMLRS pod, it's about 13-feet long []", the one-star general told the audience. "If you have something without a cab, that’s autonomous, you might be able to employ something longer than that."


Operators


Current operators

; *


Future operators

; * ; *


Cancelled or rejected sales

US denied sale of PrSM and ER-GMLRS.


See also

*
OpFires Operational Fires (abbreviated as OpFires) is a hypersonic ground-launched system developed by DARPA for the United States Armed Forces. The system deploys a boost glide vehicle. The prime contractor for the program is Lockheed Martin. The missi ...
DARPA The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military. Originally known as the Adva ...
's experimental hypersonic glide vehicle medium-range ballistic missile program


Notes


References


External links


Precision Strike Missile - product descriptions on the website of Lockheed Martin
{{US missiles
Precision Strike Missile The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM; ) is a short-range ballistic missile developed by the United States Army to replace the MGM-140 ATACMS. The US Army announced that the first PrSM batch was delivered in December 2023. Development In March ...
Precision Strike Missile The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM; ) is a short-range ballistic missile developed by the United States Army to replace the MGM-140 ATACMS. The US Army announced that the first PrSM batch was delivered in December 2023. Development In March ...
Precision Strike Missile The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM; ) is a short-range ballistic missile developed by the United States Army to replace the MGM-140 ATACMS. The US Army announced that the first PrSM batch was delivered in December 2023. Development In March ...
Anti-ship ballistic missiles