A new generation of American missiles has entered combat for the first time in the Middle East. The United States has deployed its Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) during the ongoing conflict with Iran, marking the weapon’s first known operational use. US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the development on Wednesday, describing the system as offering an “unrivalled deep strike capability”.
The war, now in its seventh day, has seen strikes reported across Iran and parts of the wider Middle East. However, US officials have not disclosed where the missiles were launched from or the specific targets they struck.
The introduction of the PrSM is drawing attention because it represents a major upgrade to the US Army’s long-range strike arsenal.
What are precision strike missiles?
The Precision Strike Missile is a long-range, surface-to-surface weapon developed by the Maryland-based defence company Lockheed Martin. The company delivered the first batch of missiles to the US Army in December 2023.
According to Lockheed Martin, PrSMs can hit targets between 60 kilometres (37 miles) and more than 499 kilometres (310 miles) away.
The missiles are designed to be fired from the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), both of which are also produced by Lockheed Martin and used by the United States and the United Kingdom.
MLRS refers to multiple-launch rocket systems capable of firing several rockets in quick succession. The UK supplied some of these systems to Ukraine in 2022. The US also sent HIMARS launchers to Ukraine the same year.
The M142 HIMARS is a highly mobile, wheel-mounted rocket launcher designed for rapid movement and deployment on the battlefield. Each launcher can carry six GPS-guided rockets or larger missiles such as the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and the newer PrSM. A small crew can reload the system in roughly a minute.
Lockheed Martin says the PrSM programme was designed for rapid development to meet the US Army’s demand for longer-range strike capabilities.
The missile uses what the company describes as “open systems architecture”, allowing new components and upgrades to be integrated more easily. The system is also modular, meaning parts can be adapted or replaced without redesigning the entire weapon.
Another feature is its “IM energetic payload”, or Insensitive Munitions energetic payload. This means the warhead uses explosives that are less likely to detonate accidentally if exposed to fire, impact or shrapnel, while still exploding properly when triggered during combat.
How is the PrSM different from earlier missiles?
The PrSM is expected to replace the Army Tactical Missile System currently used with HIMARS launchers.
While ATACMS missiles have a range of about 300 kilometres (186 miles), the PrSM can strike targets at distances exceeding 499 kilometres (310 miles). Importantly, this increase in range does not require any changes to the launcher vehicles already in service.
The newer missile also improves firepower. A HIMARS launcher can carry only one ATACMS missile per pod, but it can carry two PrSMs, effectively doubling the number of long-range missiles available in a single launch unit.
Does the PrSM give the US a strategic advantage?
CENTCOM confirmed that PrSMs were used during US and Israeli strikes on Iran under the codename Operation Epic Fury, launched on February 28.
The command shared a video showing the missiles being fired from M142 HIMARS launchers in what appeared to be desert terrain.
The missile adds to the United States’ long-range strike options in the region.
Several Gulf countries host American military bases and assets, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Parts of these territories lie within roughly 400 kilometres (250 miles) of Iran, including areas such as Oman’s Musandam Peninsula.
Alongside PrSMs, the United States has been deploying a range of other long-range systems. These include Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) one-way drones, MQ-9 Reaper drones, ATACMS missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The LUCAS drones can travel around 800 kilometres (500 miles), while ATACMS missiles have a range of about 300 kilometres (186 miles). Tomahawk cruise missiles can strike targets up to roughly 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles) away.
Why is the missile’s introduction significant?
The range of the PrSM is notable for another reason. Weapons with such capabilities would likely have been restricted under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty between the United States and Russia.
The treaty, signed in 1987 by US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, banned land-based missiles with ranges between 500 kilometres and 5,500 kilometres (310 to 3,500 miles). Its aim was to remove medium-range nuclear weapons from Europe.
The United States withdrew from the agreement in 2019 under the administration of Donald Trump, arguing that Russia had violated the treaty.
Following Washington’s withdrawal, Russia proposed a mutual moratorium on deploying ground-launched intermediate-range missiles. The US initially rejected the proposal but said in 2022 that it was open to discussions.
In August last year, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it was ending its own moratorium. The ministry said the United States had “made significant progress” and had “openly declared plans to deploy US ground-launched INF-range missiles in various regions”.
The statement warned that such moves by Western countries posed a “direct threat” to Russia’s security.
The combat use of the Precision Strike Missile now signals the arrival of a new generation of long-range weapons that could shape future conflicts.
