US soldiers fire PrSM from all platforms in milestone test

The US Army has heralded a significant advance in its long-range artillery capabilities after a successful, soldier-led flight test series of the Lockheed Martin Precision Strike Missile (PrSM). The tests, conducted in September 2025 at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, mark the first time the missile has been fired from both missile pods of the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) M270A2, alongside launches from the HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) launcher.

This operational milestone confirms the system’s readiness and compatibility with the Army’s full inventory of platforms, a critical step towards fielding the next-generation weapon, Lockheed Martin explained in an October 1 press release. The tests included multiple launches from both platforms, as well as extended range. 

The PrSM, designed as a long-awaited successor to the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), is a key part of Washington’s modernisation drive, providing the ability to neutralise long-range targets and defend against future adversaries. It will equip the regular rocket units in US service, as well as the Multi-Domain Task Forces, which are set up to provide anti-ship capabilities as well as to degrade anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.

Carolyn Orzechowski, vice president of Precision Fires Launchers and Missiles at Lockheed Martin, called the achievement a validation of the troops’ ability to fire the PrSM from all US Army platforms, certifying “mission readiness.”

PrSM and its progress so far

The September testing builds on a rapid development and qualification schedule for the PrSM programme, which has seen several critical steps in the last year:

• First Soldier-Led Test: The Army conducted its first entirely soldier-led Limited User Test (LUT) of the PrSM from a HIMARS launcher on 11 December 2024 at White Sands. This demonstrated the system’s operational readiness by having Army personnel fully manage the launch process for the first time.
• Production Contract Award: The US Army recently cemented its commitment to the programme, awarding Lockheed Martin an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract worth up to $4.94 billion on 31 March 2025 to ramp up production of the PrSM Increment 1 weapon systems. This major contract followed the first deliveries of production missiles in December 2023.

The new surface-to-surface missile is designed to attack, neutralise, suppress, and destroy advanced threats at an operational range of up to 499 kilometres, a limit that is expected to be expanded in future increments. Its compact design allows for two PrSM rounds to be carried in a single MLRS Family of Munitions launcher pod, effectively doubling the magazine depth compared to the older ATACMS.

During the latest tests, the missile reportedly met all success criteria for lethality, range, and accuracy, proving its readiness to provide a long-range capability to the US military. The manufacturer credits a collaborative and “innovative development approach” with the Army for prioritising the speed and agility needed to deliver the advanced weapon.

Calibre comment

Missiles like PrSM are typically more challenging to intercept than cruise missiles. They tend to fly faster and their ballistic trajectories offer limited windows of opportunity for an interception. While Ukraine has proven very successful at intercepting Russian cruise missiles – with a success rate of around 80% most of the time – the 9M723 Iskander ballistic missiles successfully make it through the air defences in around 80% of the time. It is hoped that PrSM will provide US forces with a lethal effector that can still be used in the face of capable adversary air defences, opening windows for conventional cruise missile strikes. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on October 2, 2025. The lead image is a collage of Precision Strike Missile launches from the M270A2 and M142 HIMARS. Credit is the US Army.