Following its 2023 Strategic Defence Review and the 2024 National Defence Strategy, the Australian Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States for the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM).

This crucial step will enhance the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) long-range strike capabilities and support the domestic defence industry. Australia Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles, and United States Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, acknowledged the capability and technological cooperation agreement during their meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue, referring to it as an important element of their alliance.

In detail, the MoU provides the ADF access to PrSM munitions and establishes PrSM as a cooperative program between the 2 allies. This will allow the Australian domestic industry to contribute to the weapon system’s supply chain with locally manufactured components and sub-components. It also opens opportunities for future domestic manufacturing and maintenance of the PrSM ‘down under.’

The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) is Lockheed Martin next-generation, long-range precision-strike missile originally designed for the US Army. This surface-to-surface weapon system will deliver enhanced capabilities to attack, neutralize, suppress and destroy targets using missile-delivered indirect fires out to 499+ km. It offers an increased range, lethality, survivability and missile load-out needed to successfully support combined Joint All-Domain Operations (JADO) and contribute to Australia’s “strategy of denial.” The weapon system is compatible with MLRS M-270 and HIMARS family of launchers, with the first of these vehicles arrived in Australia in March 2025.

According to Australian Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, this MoU proves the “commitment to deliver on priorities outlined in the 2024 National Defence Strategy, to accelerate acquisition of long-range land and maritime strike capabilities.” As reported by local specialized media, the Australian MoD is contributing approximately $310 million over 10 years to become a full cooperative partner in the PrSM program, with an additional $150 million over the next 5 years to acquire the initial quantities of the capability required to establish the first Long Range Fires Regiment.

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