Long-range missile use has come to the forefront in the war between Iran and the United States, bringing the US PrSM and Iran’s Kheibar Shekan systems back into focus. The US is alleged to have used the PrSM missile for the first time in this conflict, while the missile is said to have a range of approximately 500 kilometers and can be fired from mobile launchers.
The PrSM can reach targets from greater distances than its predecessor. Iran, meanwhile, has deployed the ballistic missile known as the Kheibar Shekan; both sides have turned to weapons that leave air defense systems less time to respond.
PrSM is set to replace ATACMS
Developed as a new-generation, ground-launched ballistic missile for the US Army, the PrSM is planned to replace ATACMS, which was designed during the Cold War. ATACMS was first used in the 1991 Gulf War.
The basic PrSM model has a range of approximately 500 kilometers. This exceeds the roughly 300-kilometer range of the longest-range ATACMS variants. The program aims to extend the range to approximately 650 kilometers, with later models expected to reach at least 1,000 kilometers.
The missile can be fired from HIMARS rocket launchers and tracked M270A2 launchers. This means the US does not need to build an entirely new launcher fleet for the PrSM. While one HIMARS launcher carries a single ATACMS, it can carry two PrSM missiles.
Guided by an inertial navigation system, the PrSM also uses GPS support. Weapons experts say the missile detonates over its target, dispersing high-velocity metal fragments across a wide area. Future models are intended to be usable against moving targets such as ships.
The debate over the munitions used in Lamerd
US Central Command released footage on March 1 showing a PrSM being fired from a HIMARS. The footage was presented as having been recorded during the first 24 hours after the operation against Iran began on February 28.
The allegation that PrSM missiles were used in attacks in the southern Iranian city of Lamerd, which were alleged to have caused deaths, remains disputed. Some experts who examined the footage and damage patterns said the munitions used could have been PrSM missiles.
Airwars examined three attacks in Lamerd that took place near residential areas and civilian facilities. The organization said one of the attacks caused damage across an area of at least 170 meters and that civilians were killed at least 50 meters from the blast site.
Airwars said at least 21 civilians, including seven children and two women, were killed in the attacks and that up to 170 people were injured. The US military denied responsibility for the Lamerd attacks. US Central Command, meanwhile, argued that security camera footage pointed to an Iranian Hoveyzeh cruise missile.
Iran’s Kheibar Shekan system
Iran’s Kheibar Shekan missile is used for a different purpose. Developed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and unveiled in 2022, the solid-fuel medium-range ballistic missile is said by Iran to have a range of approximately 1,450 kilometers.
This range means that US military facilities across a large part of the Middle East could fall within its potential target area. Iranian media reported that the missile can carry a warhead weighing approximately 449 to 590 kilograms.
Its solid-fuel design can allow the missile to be kept ready for launch and fired more quickly than liquid-fuel systems. Iran and some analysts say the missile’s reentry vehicle has a high degree of maneuverability during the terminal phase, which is intended to make interception by missile defense systems more difficult.
Iran says it has used Kheibar Shekan missiles against US military positions since the conflict began on February 28. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps released footage showing the missile alongside other ballistic systems, including the Fateh-110, Zolfaghar and Emad.
Iranian authorities said Kheibar Shekan missiles were used in attacks targeting US forces in Jordan during the tensions at the end of August. Tehran also alleged that attacks had been carried out against US-linked targets in Bahrain, Kuwait and Erbil in northern Iraq.
Mobile launchers challenge defenses
The PrSM and Kheibar Shekan belong to different missile classes. However, both systems reflect a shift toward weapons that can be fired from mobile launchers and reach distant targets. The ability of launchers to move can make it more difficult to locate and destroy the missiles.
Ballistic missiles reach extremely high speeds, particularly as they approach their targets. Air defense systems must detect the launch, calculate the trajectory, assess whether the target poses a threat and carry out an interception; all of these steps can take place within a few minutes.
As a result, the competition between long-range strike capabilities and air and missile defense systems is becoming increasingly complex.
