Lockheed secures USD 220 million order for PrSM missiles

By Defence Industry Europe

The U.S. State Department has announced the signing of an execution contract for the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) system, intended for use with the HIMARS and MRLS rocket artillery platforms. This new generation of ground-to-ground ballistic missiles, designed to succeed the ATACMS missiles, represents a significant advancement in military technology.

 

Lockheed Martin, the producer of PrSM, has been awarded a USD 220 million contract for the third production batch of these missiles, which are currently at an initial operational capability stage. The production work is set to be carried out at the company’s Grand Prairie, Texas, facilities, with the entire contract expected to be fulfilled within two years, by March 6, 2026. Moreover, an additional contract for a fourth production series is anticipated in September this year, indicating ongoing investments in this advanced weaponry.

 

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The PrSM boasts a minimum range of 500 km, potentially extending up to 1000km, markedly surpassing the 300km range of its predecessor, the ATACMS missiles. These missiles can be launched from the same launchers as the ATACMS, specifically from the MRLS and HIMARS systems, while occupying less space in the launchers. This efficiency improvement means a HIMARS launcher can carry two ballistic missiles simultaneously, doubling its payload. The PrSM is also expected to enhance effectiveness with better accuracy, jamming resistance, and superior warheads.

 

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Although it is unclear how many missiles will be produced under the $220 million contract, considering the cost of an ATACMS missile was about USD 1.5 million in 2022, the PrSM, with its advanced technology, could be priced at up to USD 3 million each. This suggests that the current contract could cover the production of approximately 70-75 missiles, with around 30-40 expected to be manufactured within the next 12 months.

 

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