Military and Strategic Journal
Issued by the Directorate of Morale Guidance at the General Command of the Armed Forces
United Arab Emirates
Founded in August 1971

2019-05-01

Ready for Today’s Needs, Prepared for Tomorrows Threats

With newer threats evolving from every frontier, be it air, sea, land, space or the cybersphere; enabling technologies and tactical solutions must also advance to give soldiers the edge they need on the battlefields. Preserving global peace and stability calls for an ‘overmatch’ solution that is affordable, offers greater range, as well as provides better precision and combat power than that of potential adversaries.
 
Raytheon is answering the need with the new DeepStrike missile, a longer-range weapon based on advanced technologies that will allow the U.S. Army to field twice as many missiles on its existing launch vehicles. With the introduction of DeepStrike, the company has expanded its range of land warfare systems, which are designed for empowering armies to deter and defeat an adversary. 
 
Raytheon and U.S. Army have successfully completed the preliminary design review of DeepStrike surface-to-surface missile, with the first flight test planned for later this year. Raytheon has integrated the DeepStrike missile into the Army's M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) launchers.
 
Precision Strike Missile Programme
The DeepStrike missile, which meets the Army’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) requirements, is expected to replace the current ageing missile system. Once developed the PrSM will be surface-to-surface, all-weather guided missile fired from the M270A1 MLRS and the M142 HIMARS launch pads that were adapted by Raytheon in 2018.
 
Initially developed baseline PrSM with ranges up to 499 km, will emphasise imprecisely located area and point targets. Whereas, the focus in the follow-on spirals will be on the increased range, lethality and engagement of time-sensitive, moving, hardened and fleeting targets. The PrSM will destroy/neutralise/suppress targets at ranges from 70-400-plus km using missile-delivered indirect precision fires.
 
PrSM will replace the existing aged inventory of non-Insensitive Munitions and Cluster Munition policy compliant Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), as well as provide field artillery units with long-range deep capability. The system will support brigade, division, corps, Army; theatre, joint/coalition forces; and Marine Air-Ground Task Forces in full, limited or expeditionary operations.

However, one of the important advantages of PrSM is that it will have cluster munition compliant payload and can improve accuracy in partial Global Positioning System (GPS)-denied environments. It also includes Cyber Security requirements. U.S. Army is planning M-Code GPS integration and technology upgrades via Open Systems Architecture. 
 
During the Preliminary Design Review, the Army evaluated every aspect of the new missile's design, from its advanced propulsion system and innovative lethality package to its guidance system.  Col. Chris Mills, U.S. Army program manager for Precision Fires, Rocket and Missile Systems, stated that the completion of Raytheon’s PrSM Preliminary Design Review helps to accelerate development and fielding of the high priority Army programme and now the Army is ready to proceed to test and integrate activities for PrSm capabilities. 
 
Double Combat Power at a Fraction of the Cost
The new DeepStrike missile launcher’s ability to fire two missiles from a single weapon pod is a leap over existing tactical missiles and has proven to be an innovative design that slashes the cost to the customer while doubling the combat power. 
 
According to Raytheon, the missile flies farther, packs more punch and incorporates a more superior guidance system than the current weapon, which is rapidly becoming obsolete. The DeepStrike missile will defeat fixed land targets 60-499 kilometres away, and will also be upgradable to keep U.S. soldiers ahead of the threat.
 
Since current missiles have restrictions in size, payload effectiveness and range, a simple life-extension programme cannot address long-term quickly evolving threats. “Adversaries are already equipped with precision strike weapons that could inflict substantial damage at distances beyond the Army’s striking power. Since most of the current missiles were produced in the late '90s, you run into what we call ‘end of shelf life,’ and are no longer reliable,” says former Army colonel John Weinzettle, who is now a programme manager in Raytheon’s Advanced Missile Systems business, in a statement. 
 
According to Raytheon, despite being a surface-to-surface weapon, the DeepStrike missile draws innovation from other Raytheon programmes and is very similar to a lot of the missile designs they have done in the shipboard and the air defence roles. For example - SM-3 interceptor and SM-6 missile. 
 
The new missile's range and speed will enable Army combat units to engage targets over vast geographic areas in high-threat environments. One of the preferred providers of various solutions to the U.S. Army and other international forces, Raytheon is also building partnerships with international firms to offer new combat solutions based on existing technologies and future innovations. The Army is in a need to replace its ATACMS with new longer-range capability, and the DeepStrike system might come into play as soon as 2023. 
 
Reference Text/Photo
 

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