Early operational capability for precision strike
The United States Army has awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.2 billion contract for the “early operational capability” (EOC) of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Increment 2.
The announcement, released by the Department of Defense, states that work for this initial phase is estimated to be completed by September 13, 2031, with work locations to be determined with each order .
Anti-ship capabilities and extended range
The PrSM Increment 2 program is the Army’s initiative to equip the missile with a multimode seeker capable of identifying and striking moving maritime targets.
This variant, also referred to as a land-based anti-ship missile, is designed to travel up to 500 kilometers (approximately 310 miles) in combat scenarios .
Test progress and program future
The contract follows a successful launch in February, when Lockheed Martin fired the first PrSM Increment 2 missile. The company reported at the time that the missile traveled 350 kilometers after being launched from an M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System).
The new guidance system integrated into Increment 2 allows the missile to „lock on” to moving, time-sensitive threats.
The US Army has already utilized the capabilities provided by PrSM Increment 1 in recent operations, leading to accelerated production plans for future versions:
- Increment 3: Will focus on adding payloads with enhanced lethality.
- Increment 4: Is developing a version with a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers (621 miles).
- Increment 5: Aims for a solution capable of similar ranges, fired from an autonomous launcher.
