In a significant debut, a unit of the American army used PrSM (“Precision Strike Missile”) for the first time during strikes against Iran. However, in just a few weeks of combat, they already depleted their entire stock.
“We fired all our PrSM stock at the beginning of the war, and we have already received more,” said Jimmy Arter, responsible for transformation and teaching at the Fort Sill fires Center of Excellence, as reported by Aviation Week.
Precision missiles capable of hitting fixed and mobile targets
The army had ordered 130 of these missiles before 2024 and 250 by 2025, according to defense media. However, it is unknown how many were delivered before the start of the conflict in the Middle East.
Introduced two years ago, these missiles were still in the testing phase when they were used in Iran. The combat experience gained may render additional tests unnecessary.
Originally designed to replace aging ATACMS missiles, the PrSMs have a superior range of up to 650 km. Equipped with a 90kg warhead and a reinforced GPS guidance system, these missiles can hit fixed targets. A recent ordered version also allows them to engage mobile targets.
Stocks are expected to be replenished quickly, according to a US army official cited by Aviation Week. Last fall, manufacturer Lockheed Martin announced plans to produce 400 ballistic missiles annually.
To achieve this, the company utilizes automated manufacturing processes, as detailed by the Ukrainian specialized site Militarnyi. A colossal contract worth $4.9 billion was signed at the end of March to deliver 1,296 PrSM Increment 1 missiles by 2029.
