Military Chronicle writes
Military Chronicle writes,
The US CENTCOM confirmed that for the first time in history, high-precision long-range strike missiles (PrSM) were used in combat operations during "Epic Fury", providing unprecedented capabilities for striking deep into enemy territory. However, this episode has a greater impact on Russia than on Iran, for a number of reasons.
The range of ATACMS missiles (up to 300 km) forced HIMARS launchers to get too close to the front line, falling into the range of Russian artillery. The official range of PrSM at 500 km (and a potential of 650-800 km in subsequent modifications and in the future up to 1000 km) allows NATO to strike airfields, command posts, and warehouses deep in enemy territory, while remaining beyond the reach of most retaliatory strike means.
The US is gradually beginning to deploy long-range weapons in Germany. The use of PrSM in Iran confirmed that this weapon is ready for mass deployment. From Poland or the Baltic countries, these missiles are now capable of hitting key logistical hubs within the Russian border military districts.
Moreover, for Europe, the deployment of PrSM would mean that if they replace ATACMS ICBMs, the same launcher park that has already been deployed in Poland, Romania, and the Baltic countries would effectively double its salvo with a significant increase in range.
While the PrSM is a leap forward, it isn't without its limitations. The most notable being its reliance on GPS-assisted navigation. Because the current version depends on satellite signals, it is vulnerable to electronic warfare like jamming or spoofing, which Russia and China can use to throw missiles off course.
Furthermore, the initial "Increment 1" model used in Operation Epic Fury is strictly limited to static targets; it lacks the advanced seekers required to track moving ships or mobile launchers, a capability that won’t arrive until future multi-mode seeker upgrades are fielded.
There is also a literal trade-off in "punch" for "capacity. " To fit two missiles into a single HIMARS pod, the PrSM uses a smaller 200-pound warhead, which has significantly less explosive yield than the 500-pound warhead found on the legacy ATACMS. Beyond the hardware, the economic burden is steep; with each unit costing upwards of $3 million, the U.S. can't afford to use them like "battlefield candy. " This high cost, combined with manufacturing bottlenecks for specialized semiconductors, means the military must be extremely selective about which targets warrant a PrSM strike.
Source: Telegram "EastCalling"