Lockheed Martin’s Long Range Precision Fires Solutions Increase Response Times and Enhance Effectiveness in High Threat Environments

Long Range Precision Fires (LRPF) enables rapid response in Joint All-Domain (JADO) Environments.As a top U.S. Army priority, LRPF allows service members to influence the battlespace from a safe standoff distance. This capability dramatically increases troop survivability and flexibility, providing commanders with more options in the heat of the moment. 

Lockheed Martin’s Precision Fires capabilities provide our customers with the systems they need to fight, and win, in every battlespace. To do that, we’re developing flexible, accurate and affordable long-range solutions that work together and can be deployed across multiple domains. 

Lockheed Martin is currently developing the Extended-Range GMLRS (ER GMLRS) to reach 150 km, nearly doubling the range of the current GMLRS rocket while delivering the same responsiveness and accuracy GMLRS users have come to expect. 

Status: In its most recent success, the U.S. Army launched the next-gen rocket in its first Systems Qualification Flight Test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. Fired from the HIMARS launcher, ER GMLRS met all success criteria in a short-range flight approximately 59 kilometers to the target area. This success advances the enhanced rocket closer to production as we complete the final phase of the development program. 

ER GMLRS is an important munition for maintaining advantage on the future battlefield. The enhanced rocket provides commanders flexibility, extended range and increased crew and launcher survivability – all from a greater standoff distance. 

The next-gen rocket also offers the same choice of munitions, for area or point targets, at longer distances improving support for Multi-Domain Operations and performing with the combat-proven, reliable and versatile capabilities customers have come to expect.

The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), also in the final phase of its development program, is the  U.S. Army’s next-generation LRPF munition. PrSM provides the Army with a deep-strike missile capable of neutralizing and suppressing targets at depth on the battlefield. 

Status: Lockheed Martin is currently building Early Operation Capability (EOC) missiles and is on track to begin deliveries to the U.S. Army in 2023. In recent news, the Army issued two PrSM contracts –a second production contract to support early fielding with an additional 54 missiles and an integration contract for the enhanced Increment-2 PrSM. The integration contract supports seeker integration and flight demonstrations with Moving-Target-Defeating capability as we continue to develop this enhanced version of PrSM. 

Featuring a range of 499 km+, PrSM has built-in open systems architecture and modularity, allowing future increment development to extend range and lethality and the ability to evolve with user needs. 

Providing commanders with increased range, lethality, survivability and missile load out, PrSM remains a critical capability supporting the Army’s LRPF modernization priority and successful execution of Precision Fires in JADO environments. 

HIMARS is combat proven and the most technically advanced, reliable and survivable long-range precision fires platform available.  

Status: Full rate production is ongoing and global demand for HIMARS is at an all-time high. In April, the US Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $204 million contract for HIMARS production. Lockheed Martin is hard at work to support our customers’ needs to ramp production and deliver HIMARS’ effective, flexible capabilities to our worldwide customers. 

HIMARS is a JADO-enabling capability that improves response time and integrates into the joint architecture, providing superior flexibility and unparalleled accuracy for every mission.  

Interoperable with current and futures systems, HIMARS fires the entire MLRS Family of Munitions (ATACMS, GMLSR, ER GMLRS and PrSM) and can be rapidly deployed via C-130 aircraft to provide time sensitive targeting. 

As a strategic capability, HIMARS improves homeland and asset defense while reducing overall mission costs. And, it was recently named the Coolest Thing Built in Arkansas! 

M270A2 is Lockheed Martin’s tracked, highly mobile automatic launcher that fires the same suite of precision fires munitions as HIMARS. With more than 1.3 million operating hours, the M270 launcher has a track record of proven reliability. 

Status: To help service members stay ahead of emerging threats, we’re modernizing the U.S. Army’s M270 fleet with a brand new 600 horsepower engine, an Improved Armored Cab (IAC) and Common Fire Control System (CFCS) that enables the launcher to fire next-generation munitions like ER GMLRS and PrSM. Earlier this year, Lockheed Martin delivered the first modernized M270A2 to the U.S. Army in a ceremony marking the milestone.

By upgrading the existing launcher assets with the latest technology and employing the same systems as HIMARS, M270 streamlines interoperability and logistics with U.S.and coalition forces while increasing missile loadout to two rocket pods.

This modernization initiative will extend the service life of a reliable, effective launcher through 2050 and enable the M270A2 to be a key component of the Army’s rocket and missile artillery for decades to come.