Northrop Grumman has completed another successful test of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Increment 1 rocket motor, reinforcing its growing role in supporting the US Army’s next-generation long-range precision fires capability. The latest test demonstrates continued progress as PrSM moves toward full-rate production and operational deployment.
Conducted at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in West Virginia, the firing validated the performance of the solid rocket motor that powers the PrSM missile. Designed to significantly extend the army’s strike range and accuracy beyond legacy systems, the propulsion system is supplied by Northrop Grumman to prime contractor Lockheed Martin. This milestone marked the company’s 16th consecutive successful production acceptance test, highlighting consistent reliability in tactical missile propulsion.
PrSM is a cornerstone of the army’s Precision Fires modernization strategy, representing the next evolutionary step in long-range artillery and missile systems. The missile is compatible with existing platforms such as the HIMARS and M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System, while offering substantially greater range than the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and enabling double the missile load per launcher.
Momentum behind the program has accelerated over the past year. In March 2025, the US Army awarded Lockheed Martin a potential $4.9 billion indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract, including an initial order for 400 PrSM Increment 1 missiles. Subsequent production qualification flight tests at White Sands Missile Range in October 2025 confirmed system readiness, paving the way for full-rate production of up to 400 missiles annually following the program’s Milestone C approval.
