US Army conducts first salvo test of precision strike missiles

The US Army and Lockheed Martin successfully launched two new Precision Strike Missiles (PrSMs) in a salvo for the first time during production qualification flight testing at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, Lockheed announced.

The test demonstrated the ability of the PrSMs to be fired consecutively from the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), in line with Army doctrine that requires the launch of two missiles to effectively target an incoming threat. The test also included the presence of an operator inside the HIMARS cab to verify soldier safety during missile launches, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

Lockheed stated that the two PrSM missiles, fired in mid-range flight against a target, successfully proved the missile's “accuracy and readiness.”

The Army received its first batch of PrSMs in December 2023 to replace the aging Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). The PrSM, which can be launched from both HIMARS and the M270A2 Multiple Launch Rocket System, is designed to provide deep-strike capabilities against advanced Russian and Chinese technologies. US commanders in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region have expressed strong interest in the missile, as it can strike targets at distances greater than 400 kilometers (249 miles).

Earlier this summer, the Army used the PrSM in the Pacific, launching it from the island of Palau to engage a moving maritime target, marking its first use outside of US-based testing sites.

Looking ahead, the Army plans further enhancements to the missile, including an improved seeker for better targeting of moving maritime threats and technologies aimed at increasing both its lethality and range. In the near term, the PrSM’s priority is to develop a ship-killing capability.

Lockheed, along with teams from RTX and Northrop Grumman, is also competing to develop a follow-up increment known as the Long-Range Maneuverable Fires program, which could significantly extend the missile's range beyond its current planned distance of 499 kilometers (310 miles). 

This effort was made possible by the US withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019, which had previously restricted the development of missiles with ranges between 499 kilometers and 5,000 kilometers (3,107 miles).

A long-range test of the PrSM conducted by the Army in October 2021 is believed to have exceeded the missile's current range requirements.

The Army and Lockheed have several additional tests scheduled, with user testing set to begin in December. A production decision for the first PrSM variant is expected by the end of 2025.

By Vafa Guliyeva