U.S. Army opens competition for extended-range PrSM missile

The United States Army has issued a Special Notice announcing an Industry Day for the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Increment 4 program, outlining plans for a rapid prototyping effort that will culminate in a competitive missile fly-off scheduled for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2028.

The event, organized by the Army’s Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) Fires office, is set for March 23–24, 2026, at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, according to an official government notice published February 20.

The announcement signals the Army’s effort to accelerate development of a longer-range precision strike capability designed to address emerging operational challenges, particularly the need to engage targets at extended distances while operating in contested environments where satellite navigation may be degraded or denied.

According to the notice, the Industry Day will provide defense companies with an overview of the PrSM Increment 4 rapid prototyping effort and explain the objectives of a planned fly-off that will evaluate competing industry solutions capable of demonstrating a “closed loop lethal” extended-range missile capability.

As described in the official notice, PrSM Increment 4 is intended to provide commanders with an extended-range weapon capable of penetrating contested environments and striking stationary, relocated, and moving targets across both maritime and land domains, independent of GPS guidance.

The Army identified three foundational capabilities for the upcoming fly-off evaluation: a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers, compatibility with existing High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, and the ability to engage moving maritime targets as well as relocatable land targets.

Under the proposed structure, Phase I will focus on architectural research funded through fiscal year 2026 research and development accounts. Phase II will involve operational prototype demonstrations during the competitive fly-off, followed by system qualification testing in Phase III and potential production awards in Phase IV for successful performers.

The government intends to use a two-step competitive selection process beginning with high-level technical concept submissions, followed by comprehensive prototype proposals from selected participants. Officials stated that successful prototype developers could receive a follow-on production award without additional competition, consistent with statutory authority governing prototype programs.

A key technical requirement for PrSM Increment 4 is adoption of a Modular Open Systems Approach, intended to allow rapid technology upgrades and prevent dependence on proprietary components. The Army expects open interface standards and government purpose rights for interface data to enable future module replacement and competition among vendors.

In practical military terms, the Precision Strike Missile is designed as the successor to the Army Tactical Missile System, providing longer reach and improved targeting flexibility while remaining compatible with existing launch platforms such as HIMARS. Increment 4 expands this concept by emphasizing engagement of moving targets and operations in environments where GPS signals cannot be relied upon.

The program reflects a broader shift toward extended-range land-based fires capable of influencing maritime operations and holding distant targets at risk without requiring forward deployment of aircraft or naval platforms. Such capabilities have gained attention as militaries seek options for operating against layered air defenses and dispersed targets.

Industry Day will take place at the Secret classification level, and personal electronic devices will be restricted inside briefing areas, underscoring the sensitivity of technical information associated with the program.

The notice emphasizes that the announcement is informational and does not constitute a formal solicitation or contract offer, though a Request for Solutions is expected to follow in April 2026.