According to the request the new missile
has a maximum range of 499 kilometers, a Launch Pod Missile Container (LPMC) holds two PrSM missiles survivability in
a threat environment and compatibility
with the existing launcher platform, M-270A2 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) an M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), also noted as that will meet
cluster and insensitive munition
requirements and is being designed with
an open system architecture that
provides the capability for future
growth to counter new and emerging
threats.
The mission of the prsm system is to
attack, neutralize suppress destroy
targets using missile delivered and
direct precision fires. It will provide field artillery units
with long range and deep strike
capability while supporting brigade, division, core, army, theater, joint, coalition forces and marine air ground
task forces in full limited or
expeditionary operations.
PrSM will provide joint force commanders
with a 24/7 all-weather capability to
attack critical and time-sensitive area
and point targets including threat air
defense, missile launchers, command and
control centers assembly staging areas
and high payoff targets at all depths of
the multi-domain battlefield. PrSM will counter the enemy's ability to
conduct combat maneuver and air defense
operations.
PrSM will replace the existing aged
inventory of non-insensitive munitions
and cluster munition policy compliant
army tactical missile systems. The u.s army's precision strike missile
program took another step toward
fielding in 2023 with the service
awarding prime contractor lockheed
martin 62 million dollars for the next
phase on the effort, according to a
defense department contract announcement.
The contract award kicks off the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase for the PrSM project following four successful flight
tests and represents an important step
forward for the army's plan to develop a
family of long-range strike capabilities.
The precision strike missile program led
by the long-range precision fires
cross-functional team and program
executive office missiles in space is
meant to replace the army's cold war era
army tactical missile system, which has a
maximum range of 300 kilometers or 186
miles. Army officials describe PrSM's goal
range as 500 kilometers or more, around
310 miles. This important milestone is the next
step toward fielding PrSM, Becky Withrow
business development director at Lockheed Martin missiles and fire
control said in a statement to breaking
defense.
PrSM continues to deliver on performance
requirements and we're looking forward
to continuing that in the next phase of
development. Under the emd phase, Lockheed Martin will
continue the development of PrSM including system qualification, manufacturing readiness actions and
initial operational testing and
evaluations, according to Daryl Ames
spokesperson for peo missiles in space. The program completed its milestone b
approval on september 27th with
congressional notification the following
day, he said. PrSM is currently preparing for its
fifth flight test. the new missile is scheduled to enter
service in 2023 with upgrades coming in
2025, he added.
In an earlier flight test this year at
white sands missile range in new mexico PrSM flew 400 kilometers or more about
250 miles. That range is mean to help prsm to
potentially take out enemy ships not
dissimilar from the marines corpse
nmesis ship killer missile or
anti-aircraft defenses from afar. While the service is finalizing the
first of the missile fiscal 2022 budget
documents show that the army wants to
dedicate 5 million dollars to exploring
critical technologies to extend the
range of prsm to 1000 kilometers or more.
The army also plans to purchase 110
missiles in fiscal year 2022 for about
166 million dollars. As part of future upgrades to PrSM the
army wants to add an upgraded seeker to
the missile in order for it to more
accurately strike moving targets such as
ships at sea. The multi-mode seeker detects an enemy's
radio frequency from enemy
communications and radar to track the
target.
Earlier this week lieutenant general Thomas Todd, deputy commanding general at
army futures command praised the program
as an example of the army bridging the
infamous valley of death where prototype
projects fail to transition over to the
production process. People say we don't cross things across
the valley of death, we do. we just did, Todd said on a webinar
earlier this week.
It precision strike missile
just transitioned out of s and t science
and technology. PrSM will also play a role in the army's
upcoming project convergence 21 event, a
yuma aries based event where the service tests the
interoperability of its wide range of
modernization systems. That will include a double shot from HIMARS launcher truck as previously
reported by breaking defense.
