Precision Strike: the ultimate weapon for engaging enemy ballistic missiles
The US Army could deploy a new surface-to-air missile system in the coming years, bolstering precision strike capabilities on the battlefield.
As Russian and US diplomatic teams meet in Saudi Arabia to begin planning for a possible peace treaty between Russia and Ukraine, the US Defense Department is boasting about its defensive capabilities after a series of weapons tests conducted in the deserts of New Mexico.
The importance of surface-to-air missile defense systems has been seen in Ukraine, where they have been used to rehabilitate Russian projectiles and take down aircraft moving in their airspace. These systems are comprised of two components: the launcher and the weapons. The tests featured the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, a launching system and the new projectile, dubbed the Precision Strike Missile Increment 1 (PrSM). “PrSM is the next-generation, long-range precision-strike missile delivering critical capabilities to attack, neutralize, suppress, and destroy targets, supporting successful mission execution via combined Joint All-Domain Operations,” reads the press release from the Army on the tests. It can travel up to 310 miles, and the subsequent Increments, of which five are currently planned, will expand the range of the weapon.
The new weapon’s system tested is designed for long-range precision strikes and builds on the Army Tactical Missel System (ATACMS), which the military incorporated into its war chest in 1991. Ukraine began receiving the Army Tactical Missel System (ATACMS) in 2023, which was used to try and hold Russian forces back by striking them from a distance.
Long-range weapons are key to reducing the aggressor’s military potential. In 2024, 🇺🇦 expanded missile production, tested new ballistic & cruise missiles, and bolstered air defense. In 2025, the focus remains on high-precision deep strikes & cutting-edge missile defense 🚀🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/33C1ubpZhN
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) February 10, 2025
The specs of the new weapons system
Global Defense News reported that late last week, the US Army undertook a flight test “involving two Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Increment 1 engagements.” The military was interested in testing the efficacy of the new missiles when launched from a M142 HIMARS, a rocket launcher developed by Lockheed Martin. The tests were successful, with the report stating that “both missiles” launched from the M142 HIMARS “followed their intended trajectories and engaged multiple targets, including a surrogate Scud ballistic missile, radar installations, and rotary-wing platforms.” The design of the new HIMARS allows for two missiles to be loaded into the launcher, allowing the weapons to deliver a blow twice as powerful as that of ATACMS.
The cost to the taxpayer
The results of these tests determined if the defense contractor will be able to move into the production phase to manufacture a greater number of these new PrSMs. The Defense Department will pay Lockheed Martin $120 million a year to produce 400 missiles, meaning each one costs the taxpayers a whopping $300,000.
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