A missile test performed at Vandenburg Space Force Base, California last month was the first test of an extended range variant of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) looking to hit targets beyond the 499+ kilometer threshold of the baseline missile variant.
Lockheed Martin confirmed the details to Naval News in an interview at Modern Day Marine 2025 in Washington D.C. during an interview regarding PRsM and updates to the M142 HIMARS.
“Our recent demonstration at Vandenberg Space Force Base tested extended range of the baseline Increment One missile. It is not tied to MRBM or LRHW.”
Lockheed Martin Spokesperson
Lockheed Martin’s Director for of Strategy and Business Development, Kathy Withrow, also confirmed details of a U.S. Army-led SINKEX during Exercise Valiant Shield 2024 that featured the first U.S. Army use of an anti-ship ballistic missile.
The test was spearheaded by the U.S. Army’s 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force (3MDTF) and the 1-181 Artillery Regiment of the Tennessee National Guard, who fired two Precision Strike Missiles from the U.S. Army’s prototype Autonomous Multi-domain Launcher (AML). The ship targeted in the SINKEX was ex-USS Cleveland (LPD-7).
According to Withrow, the missiles used in the SINKEX during Valiant Shield 2024 were baseline Increment One Precision Strike Missiles, not prototype Increment Two missiles. Withrow could not confirm or deny the ability of Increment One to prosecute maritime targets, but could confirm the initial all-up-round testing timeline for Increment Two.
I don’t know if it’s against a moving target, but our first test [for Increment Two] is in 2026.”
Kathy Withrow, Director for of Strategy and Business Development at Lockheed Martin
Further developments beyond Increment One and Two are also expected. Increment Three, Four, and now Five, are under development within the wider PrSM and Long Range Fires programs for a wide range of new capabilities. Increment One has been delivered and those missiles have an unspecified level of capability against maritime targets which Lockheed Martin could not expand on. Increments 2 and 4 will also have anti-ship capability. Increment 3 and 5 will feature new warheads and guided submunitions.
“Increment One is the baseline surface to surface missile with a range beyond 400 kilometers. Increment two adds a seeker to go after maritime [targets]. Increment three is a lethality enhancement, [adding] a new warhead to the missile to go after a different type of target. Increment four is the extended range version, and it also will have a seeker to go after maritime targets.”
Kathy Withrow, Director for of Strategy and Business Development at Lockheed Martin
PrSM recently completed a Production Qualification Test (PQT) Series, opening the door for the missile’s final phase of development. Initial Operational Testing and Evaluation (IOT&E) is expected in May 2025, with a Full Rate Production (FRP) decision later this year.
