U.S. Army HIMARS Could Strike Moving Warships at 1,000 km With Lockheed Martin Ramjet PrSM Missile.

The U.S. Army could extend the reach of its HIMARS rocket launchers to at least 1,000 kilometers and engage moving enemy warships under a new Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Increment 4 proposal developed by Lockheed Martin. The company is preparing a ramjet-powered missile designed to deliver longer-range strikes from existing launchers, while establishing the manufacturing capabilities needed to support its future production.

Lockheed Martin's proposed PrSM Increment 4 combines ramjet propulsion with a range of at least 1,000 kilometers, aiming to enable U.S. Army HIMARS launchers to strike moving warships and relocatable land targets. (Picture source: Image edited by Army Recognition from an original U.S. Army photo and Lockheed Martin)

The proposed missile would expand the missions available to American artillery units, allowing ground forces to engage maritime targets and relocatable land systems at distances traditionally associated with air and naval strike operations. Unlike earlier PrSM versions, Increment 4 is intended to combine extended range with the ability to engage moving targets. For the U.S. Army, this would provide additional options for deploying mobile missile batteries across dispersed positions, particularly in coastal environments where ground forces could contribute directly to maritime operations.

In a statement published on October 26, 2026, Lockheed Martin confirmed its selection to continue developing PrSM Increment 4 prototypes under a U.S. Army competition. The company is among five contractors selected alongside Anduril Industries, Castelion, Mach Industries, and RTX to develop competing long-range missile designs. Flight demonstrations scheduled for 2027 and 2028 will evaluate their proposals before further acquisition decisions. The selection does not constitute a production contract, but allows Lockheed Martin to advance its missile design and associated manufacturing technologies.

The central technical development involves a ramjet propulsion system developed with L3Harris. Unlike conventional rocket motors, which carry both fuel and oxidizer, ramjet engines use atmospheric oxygen to sustain combustion during powered flight. Lockheed Martin expects this configuration to approximately double the range of the baseline PrSM, reaching at least 1,000 kilometers. The missile is also designed to retain the transport container and fire-control interface used by PrSM Increment 1, enabling integration with existing M142 HIMARS and M270A2 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems without requiring replacement launchers.

To support the propulsion system, Lockheed Martin reports that a dedicated additive manufacturing and automation line is already operational. The $300 million facility produces critical airframe and propulsion components requiring the precise manufacturing tolerances associated with ramjet technology. The company has also invested more than $300 million with industrial partners to develop propulsion technologies intended to extend missile range. These investments are designed to support the transition from prototype development toward potential larger-scale manufacturing, although Increment 4 has not yet entered series production.

Guidance technology represents another component of the proposal. Lockheed Martin is incorporating developments from its Strigo Product Center, where the company has invested $250 million in radio-frequency sensors, missile seekers, and datalink technologies. Elements of this work contribute to the Increment 4 guidance package, which is intended to support engagements against moving maritime targets and relocatable land systems. At ranges approaching or exceeding 1,000 kilometers, accurate targeting requires information about an objective's position and movement, particularly when a ship changes course after the missile has been launched.

The industrial strategy also relies on existing manufacturing infrastructure. Lockheed Martin identifies its Camden facility in Arkansas, already involved in producing PrSM Increment 1 and Increment 2, as a potential location for Increment 4 manufacturing. The site is undergoing further expansion involving robotics and advanced automation to increase production capacity. Integrating the new missile into established facilities could allow the company to use existing manufacturing processes and supply arrangements while preparing for higher production rates if its proposal is selected.

For American ground forces, the combination of extended range, mobile launchers, and maritime targeting could change how artillery units contribute to operations in contested coastal regions. HIMARS batteries deployed across islands or dispersed land positions could threaten hostile surface vessels without relying exclusively on aircraft or warships to deliver long-range strikes. Their mobility would also allow units to reposition between firing missions. However, engaging moving ships at such distances would require coordination with surveillance assets capable of locating, tracking, and providing updated targeting information. The missile's proposed capabilities would therefore depend on its integration into a wider reconnaissance and targeting network.

The development also carries implications for U.S. military planning in the Indo-Pacific, where long distances and China's expanding naval capabilities complicate the deployment of American forces. A ground-launched missile capable of engaging moving warships at distances of at least 1,000 kilometers could allow U.S. and allied forces to distribute anti-ship strike capabilities across multiple locations, increasing the number of positions from which naval movements could be threatened. Lockheed Martin's preparations for ramjet propulsion, guidance development, and manufacturing reflect the industrial requirements behind that objective. The competitive flight demonstrations planned for 2027 and 2028 will determine how its proposal progresses toward a possible future acquisition by the U.S. Army.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests include security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.

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