The U.S. Army is continuing preparations to test-fire a new surface-to-surface missile intended to destroy targets with precision accuracy, according to a Tuesday announcement posted on the U.S. government’s main contracting website.
In a notice posted on the Federal website, the Army Contracting Command has announced that it anticipates awarding a contract for Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) family of Munitions (MFOM) Missile Common Test Set (MCTS), version 2.0 hardware in support of Army’s Precision Strike Missile program.
“The proposed contract action is a 30-month effort for the production of up to 30 MLRS MFOM Missile Common Test Sets and associated cables. The required hardware addresses obsolescence issues in the current MCTS 1.0 hardware,” the Feb. 9 notice reads.
It is also important to note that Army Contracting Command said that Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is the only source with the knowledge, experience, technical expertise, and infrastructure necessary to meet the MLRS requirements.
The Precision-Strike Missile, or PrSM, is a new type of surface-to-surface weapon designed to work with the HIMARS systems, including successfully exchanging data with the launcher’s fire control system. The baseline missile, which will be fielded to engage a wide variety of targets at ranges up to 499 km with precision accuracy.
PrSM will provide field artillery units with long range and deep strike capability while supporting brigade, division, corps, Army, theater, joint/coalition forces and Marine Air-Ground Task Forces in full, limited or expeditionary operations. PrSM will replace the existing aged inventory of non-Insensitive Munitions and Cluster Munition policy compliant Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS).
In addition, earlier in Mar 2020, Lockheed Martin successfully tested its next-generation long-range missile designed for the Army’s PrSM program.