USA, the new PrSM long-range missile arrives. Goodbye to Atacms: how far you can reach

The US Department of Defense is about to usher in a new era in missile weapons with the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), intended to replace the obsolete MGM-140, known as Atacms. This ambitious program, in development for several years, aims to provide field artillery units with a long-range missile system, characterized by extraordinary attack capabilities. In the recent demonstration at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the PrSM successfully completed its test flight, highlighting its promising effectiveness. The intention is clear: to replace the Atacms, whose last use occurred in the context of the war in Ukraine, where they debuted after repeated requests from Kiev.

Preliminary results indicate that the new long-range missile responded optimally, ensuring an accurate flight path, significant lethality, near-vertical engagement angle and appropriate blast height. A detailed report on the test is expected in December. Developed by Lockheed Martin, the PrSM is a surface-to-surface ballistic missile designed to operate in all weather conditions. Its versatility is further enhanced by the possibility of equipping it with a cluster bomb payload, despite the controversial nature of such devices, banned by the 2008 UN convention but still produced by the United States.

The PrSM can be launched by either the M142 High Mobility Artillery (HIMARS) or the M270A2 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), thus expanding the U.S. Army’s tactical options. The basic PrSM variant was designed to replace the aging Atacms missile arsenal, allowing the United States to significantly extend the range and lethality of long-range precision munitions. With an impressive range of nearly 250 miles (around 400 kilometers), the PrSM surpasses the maximum range achieved by any Atacms variant, which stops at around 300 kilometers. Furthermore, the ability of the HIMARS launch capsules to accommodate two PrSMs instead of a single Atacms munition doubles the volume of fire available, confirming the significant leap in terms of power and effectiveness offered by the new PrSM missile. The arms race continues unabated.