In March 2016, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon announced they would bid on a missile to meet the US Army's Long Range Precision Fires (LRPF) requirement to replace the ATACMS. The PrSM will use advanced propulsion technology to fly faster and farther (originally out to 310 mi or 500 km).[3] 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 and M142 HIMARS launchers.[4][5] Boeing and Raytheon were involved in the competitive effort, but both left the competition in early 2020, leaving Lockheed Martin to develop the missile.[6] The weapon was planned to achieve initial operational capability 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.[7] With the United States withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the range of the PrSM is to be increased beyond the 310 mi (500 km) limitation imposed by the treaty.[8]
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[when?] to be part of a major program improvement planned for 2025.[9] Technological advancements including the potential application of ramjet technology could extend the weapon's range up to 620 mi (1,000 km).[10]
In July 2021, the US announced that Australia had become a partner in the PrSM Program with the Australian 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 US$54 million.[11][12] In January 2024, Australia committed to continue the partnership with the United States and will subsequently also purchase PrSM Increments 3 and 4.[13] This will extend the range of Australia's PrSM missiles beyond 620 mi and will potentially rival Australia's longest range missile, the BGM-109 Tomahawk.[14]
The United Kingdom, as part of an upgrade to the British Army's M270 MLRS to the M270A2 standard, has hinted that it may possibly acquire PrSM.[15]
On 8 December 2023, the US Army announced that the first PrSM batch had been delivered.[16]
On 17 June 2024, the decommissioned Austin-classamphibious transport dockUSS Cleveland 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.[17]
On 26 August 2024, it was announced that the US has turned down a request from Norway to acquire the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM).[18]
Variants
The PrSM currently 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. It has a treaty-bound range of 310 mi (500 km), and does not contain a multi-mode seeker.[19] It is gradually replacing the MGM-140 ATACMS 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.[20] As LBASM was in development following the US withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019, its range is to be increased beyond the previous 310 mi (500 km) threshold, up to an expected 620 mi (1,000 km) range, as well as increasing the speed of the missile.[21] As the name suggests, the LBASM will be an anti-ship ballistic missile, and in collaboration with the multi-mode seeker will have the ability to engage moving targets.[22] It is understood that the first procurement of the missile is to be completed in FY2028, with the United States Marine Corps and the Australian Army then receiving them.[22]
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.[24] For Increment Three it is to be designed for use as an anti-fortification weapon, likely being able to destroy more structures.[24] There is no information available as to when Increment Three is to be procured by the United States Armed Forces or the Australian Army. However it is believed they will be made available following Increments one, two and four.[25]
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 310 mi (500 km) range of Increment One, as well as the 620 mi (1,000 km) range of Increment Two.[24] It will advance the technology of propulsion, and aerodynamics to achieve this range.[24] Increment Four is currently being competed for contracts by; Lockheed Martin, as well as a combined Raytheon-Northrop Grumman team.[26]
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 2026. The idea, he explained, is to design a missile that can be fired from an autonomous vehicle. "If you’re familiar with an [M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System] MLRS 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."[27]
