Lockheed Martin Advances PrSM Inc-4 Offering Toward Flight Testing

ORANGE, Va., June 3, 2026. Lockheed Martin, L3Harris and the US Army successfully completed a pivotal advanced propulsion milestone for Lockheed Martin’s offering for Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Increment 4. During a recent Direct Connect Transition Test, the development missile demonstrated a flawless booster-to-ramjet handoff inside L3Harris’ specialized high-speed-air-breathing propulsion facility, validating the propulsion transition event.

THE BIG PICTURE

The Direct Connect Transition Test validates a critical risk-reduction activity that removes the primary technical barrier to flight-testing Lockheed Martin’s PrSM Increment 4 design. With this test completed, flight testing of the missile is set to begin in the fall of this year, keeping the program on track for operational fielding. The innovative propulsion architecture enables ranges beyond 1,000km range while remaining compatible with existing HIMARS and M270 launchers, giving the warfighter a long-range precision-strike capability without requiring new launch platforms or logistical changes.

WHY IT MATTERS

• Following extensive engine ground testing in both booster and ramjet modes, a flight test this year will demonstrate near-tactical range performance and a mature propulsion technology for future long-range strike missions.
• The ramjet‑powered engine will double the range of the baseline PrSM, while maintaining compatibility with existing HIMARS and M270 launchers, extending the Army’s reach without requiring new launch platforms.
• Lockheed Martin’s PrSM Increment 4 configuration combines high-control authority and high-terminal velocity, complicating adversary interception and enabling lethal engagement of both relocatable land and moving maritime targets.
• A combined investment of more than $300 million from Lockheed Martin and L3Harris in additive manufacturing and automation has built a rapid-production hardware pipeline, supporting an accelerated fielding schedule.
• The missile uses the same transport container as earlier PrSM increments and can be moved by C-130 aircraft using current logistics infrastructure. Using the same form factor and logistics as current PrSM missiles allows the Army to upgrade firepower without new launch platforms or supply-chain changes.

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE

• “The Direct Connect Transition Test shows the missile’s core propulsion is not a future concept but a validated capability that can be loaded onto current HIMARS and M270 launchers quickly, dramatically shortening the time to warfighter delivery,” said Randy Crites, vice president, Lockheed Martin Advanced Programs.
• “Advancing our next-generation propulsion system quickly through ground testing so we are ready now for flight testing confirms our ability to deliver on the Army’s mission requirements,” said Scott Alexander, President, Missile Propulsion, Missile Solutions, L3Harris. “L3Harris’ propulsion system strikes a balance between capability and affordability by meeting the Army’s requirements for speed, range and lethality.