US Army test-fired Precision Strike Missile from HIMARS launcher

News, US November 20, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

The United States Army with defense firm Lockheed Martin successfully completed a production qualification flight test of Precision Strike Missile in a demonstration at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

During the test, the U.S. Army fired one Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) was fired from a HIMARS launcher to hit a target set. The missile was fired at the shortest distance flown to date and demonstrated the system’s accuracy from launch to impact.

Vice president of Precision Fires at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control Jay Price said in a statement, “PrSM is a critical capability and the top long-range precision fires modernization priority for the U.S. Army.”

Price added that “This demonstration is the first of several production qualification tests moving PrSM closer to fielding and delivery of Early Operational Capability (EOC) missiles this year.”

The Lockheed Martin statement highlighted that although the short-range flight is not the PrSM’s primary mission range, the test represents the “most stressful, dynamic environment for the missile as it maneuvers at hypersonic speeds to align to the target.” The statement added, “This test verifies structural integrity of the missile and trajectory control.”

The PrSM is the next-generation, long-range precision-strike missile designed by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Army. The surface-to-surface missile is capable of neutralizing targets out to more than 400 kilometers and aims to enhance the U.S. Army’s capabilities to attack, neutralize, suppress, and destroy targets.

*^{HIMARS missile system in Poland. (Image Credit: U.S. Army/Markus Rauchenberger)}*

According to Lockheed Martin, “PrSM provides the Joint Force Commander with increased range, lethality, survivability, and missile load out. These enhanced capabilities are critical to the successful execution of fires in support of combined Joint All-Domain Operations.”

“The new surface-to-surface weapon features an open systems architecture design for maximum affordability and flexibility, is modular for future growth and is HIMARS and M270 compatible,” the statement added.

PrSM Specifics

Two PrSM rounds per launch pod
Ranges from 60 to 499+ kilometers
Open systems architecture
Modular and easily adaptable
IM energetic payload
Compatible with MLRS M270 and HIMARS family of launchers

Lockheed Martin integrated PAC-3 with LTAMDS Radar

U.S. defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin also conducted another flight test of its atriot Advanced Capability – 3 (PAC-3) system and for the first time integrated it with the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) radar.

During the test PAC-3 sent and received data from the LTAMDS radar to engage the Air Breathing Threat. The test demonstrated the PAC-3’s capabilities to maintain its proven hit-to-kill intercept performance while integrating with the LTAMDS radar.

The LTAMDS radar is a crucial component to advance the U.S. Army’s modernized air and missile defense strategy. The Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 is a proven system that is effective against aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.