The US Army used the new PrSM missiles for the first time.
During the ongoing Operation Epic Fury, the US military is employing a wide range of missile weapons of various types and purposes. Even the latest models are being deployed. For example, the first combat use of the new PrSM tactical ballistic missile has been reported. This missile entered service with the US Army several years ago and has now had the opportunity to demonstrate its potential.
Rockets and reports
On the night of February 28, the US military, together with the Israeli army, launched another military operation against Iran. Numerous and aggressive strikes against Iranian targets began, employing a wide range of missile weapons. According to various reports, air-, land-, and sea-based missiles were used.
The US quickly began reporting on the strikes they had carried out and the targets they had hit. Some reports, however, were particularly interesting. It turns out that during Operation Epic Fury, the US Army used one of its new weapons for the first time: the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM).
Thus, on the morning of March 1, the US Central Command (US CENTCOM), responsible for the operation, announced a summary of the first day of combat operations. It also published photographs and videos taken in the combat zone.
Specifically, the new videos showed M142 HIMARS self-propelled launchers in firing positions. They were firing tactical-class missiles, but the quality of the footage made it difficult to determine the type of ammunition. Higher-quality photographs of the launches were later published, including those showing the missile in the first moments of flight.
This time, the missile's type was easily identified—it was a new model, the PrSM. This munition had been adopted by the US Army only a few years ago, and had so far only been used at training ranges. Now, however, this marks its first combat use in a real military operation.
Launch of the PrSM rocket
CENTCOM also reported the destruction of certain enemy ground targets. It's possible that some of these targets were attacked specifically by the new PrSM missiles. Detailed information on this matter has not yet been released. Moreover, for obvious reasons, all the most interesting statistics remain classified.
Operational capabilities
The Pentagon and Central Command have not specified the origins of the PrSM missile launches. Furthermore, the published materials do not allow even an approximate determination of the firing positions. The targets of the strikes and their results have also not been disclosed. However, the available data does allow us to understand what missions the M142/PrSM systems may have been assigned and what might have been expected of them.
The PrSM tactical missile, in its first production version, Increment 1, is designed to engage stationary targets with known coordinates at ranges of up to 500 km. Improved versions with longer ranges and expanded combat capabilities are already being developed, but they have not yet even entered testing.
The US Army has the ability to deploy its M142 launchers to various countries in the Middle East. This allows it to attack various targets across a significant portion of Iran. Clearly, the Pentagon is taking advantage of these capabilities.
Thus, when launched near Baghdad, PrSM missiles can reach targets in the Tabriz, Kermanshah, Khorramabad, and other areas. Placing launchers closer to the border makes it possible to attack even Tehran. Launches from Kuwait put several major Iranian ports on the Persian Gulf coast under attack. These capabilities are further expanded when using positions in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, or the UAE.
Thus, HIMARS systems with PrSM missiles have, at least theoretically, the capability to strike various targets in western and southern Iran. This area of responsibility includes several large cities housing industrial facilities, administrative buildings, and other such facilities. It is clear that US intelligence was also searching for Iranian military targets in these areas.
Launch of an unknown type of missile
It's worth noting that M142 combat vehicles also used older ATACMS missiles. Their range, depending on the modification, does not exceed 280-300 km. However, even with them, the US Army can pose a threat to a significant portion of Iran.
Tasks and Goals
It is unknown what targets the PrSM and ATACMS missiles were used against. It can be assumed that these missiles attacked and knocked out Iranian systems. Defense along the western and southern borders of the country. Such gaps in the defense could then be used for the passage of combat aviation or cruise missiles.
According to official US data, the missile systems generally accomplished their missions. However, there are no statistics on their use—it is unknown what proportion of the missiles hit their intended targets and how many were intercepted by Iranian air defenses. Yet, it is precisely this information that is of greatest interest.
It's possible that the M142 mobile launchers with long-range PrSM missiles were also used to counter surface-to-surface missile systems. In this case, they would have received data on the deployment of Iranian systems and launched strikes in a timely manner—before an enemy launch or before the launcher left its position.
Technical aspects
It's worth recalling that the PrSM project began in the middle of the last decade. Its goal was to create a new operational-tactical missile to replace the existing ATACMS missiles. The plan was to achieve improved flight and combat performance, and eventually create a new family of missiles.
The first prototype of the family, designated PrSM Incre. 1, began arriving in combat units in 2023-24. By now, the US Army should have accumulated a certain stockpile of these missiles. They are now being used in actual military operations to attack various ground targets. However, the effectiveness of the initial combat deployments remains unknown.
Test launch of the PrSM prototype
The PrSM is a single-stage, solid-fuel surface-to-surface missile. It features a cylindrical body with a conical nose fairing and an X-shaped tail fin. The missile is up to 4 meters long and has a body diameter of 430 mm. This missile is smaller than the ATACMS. This allows the standard-sized transport and launch container, designed for the M270 and M142 systems, to accommodate two missiles at once.
The PrSM Incre. 1 missile in its current form has a range of up to 500 km. Several improved variants with increased range are already being developed. One of these projects involves a radical redesign of the missile.
The munition has a guidance system typical of such devices. It uses inertial and satellite navigation to guide the missile onto a predetermined trajectory. Apparently, the missile is not quasi-ballistic and does not use guidance during the descending portion of its trajectory.
The PrSM carries a single-warhead high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 91 kg. The possibility of installing other types of warheads has been mentioned in the past.
First results
Thus, the PrSM advanced ballistic missile project has yielded its first practical results. After a lengthy process of development, testing, and development, the new munitions are being used for the first time in a real operation to strike enemy targets.
Unfortunately, so far only the fact of using the new one has become known weaponsAll the interesting details of this remain classified for now. However, knowing the Pentagon's basic customs and the habits of American leadership, one can expect them not to miss the opportunity to boast of successes—if any actually took place.
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