U.S. Army Long-Range Precision Fires

the U. S. Army is seeking to improve its ability to deliver what it refers to as long-range precision fires (LRPF) by upgrading current artillery and missile systems, developing new longer-range cannons and hypersonic weapons, and modifying existing air- and sea-launched missiles and cruise missiles for ground launch by Army units. Both the 2018 National Defense Strategy and the Army's Multi-Domain Operations operational concept call for improved Army LRPF capability to counter what has been described as Russian and Chinese anti-access, area denial (A2/AD) strategies designed to limit the freedom of movement and action of U. S. forces in both Europe and the Pacific region. The Army has five major programs or efforts underway or under consideration to improve long-range precision fires capabilities: The Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) program plans to develop a system capable of accurately firing at targets more than 70 kilometers away, an improvement over the 30-kilometer target distance of current systems. The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM)is a surface-to-surface, all weather, precision-strike guided missile fired from the M270A1 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). PrSM is intended to replace current MLRS and HIMARS missiles and doubles the current rate-of-fire, with two missiles per launch pod. The Army is examining the feasibility of developing a Strategic Long-Range Cannon (SLRC) that can fire a projectile at hypersonic speeds up to 1,000 miles to engage air defense, artillery, and missile systems and command and control targets. The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Missile Defense Agency (MDA) are developing a Common- Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB), which the Army plans to use as part of its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) program, enabling the C-HGB to be launched from mobile Army ground missile launchers. Finally, the Army is attempting to modify existing Navy SM-6 and UGM-109 Land Attack Missiles for ground launch to provide the Army with a mid-range missile capability.