Latest news with #PrecisionStrikeMissile


The Irish Sun
29-07-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Is THIS Trump's secret weapon to stop China invading Taiwan? Game-changer PRSM missile to wipe out Xi's armada is tested
A GAME-CHANGING new weapon has been successfully tested by the US as they continue to warn China against attacking Taiwan. Donald Trump has overseen the creation of the precision strike missiles (PrSMs) which are capable of wiping out Xi Jinping's whole armada should the despot launch an invasion . Advertisement 9 Australia successfully test-fired the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) for the first time Credit: Defence Industry Europe/CPL Cameron Pegg. 9 The PrSMs struck a target more than 190 miles away 9 China's Xi Jinping has vowed to take over Taiwan 'by force' if necessary despite the US threats Credit: Alamy 9 Washington and its allies have been trying to fend off a looming Chinese attack on their neighbours . Beijing has been In recent months the US has voiced serious concerns around what China is planning with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warning an attack is "real and imminent". Hegseth said communist Beijing is "rehearsing for the real deal" and described the looming threat as a "wake-up call" for the world. Advertisement read more in China vs Taiwan Part of America's deterrence has seen them help to build a weapon capable of obliterating Chinese warships and aircraft carriers should a conflict ever spark in the region. The PrSMs have just been tested in Australia with the successful launch seeing it strike a target more than 190 miles away. It marks the first time the 13ft Lockheed Martin-manufactured weapon has been used by a US ally. The design means it can be fired by either US-made HIMARS launchers or British MLRS artillery systems. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Latest Despite only reaching 190 miles during testing, designers say the missiles have a range of more than 300 miles. Ukraine currently uses the ATACMS missiles to fend off Vladimir Putin's Russia but these only have a maximum range of 190 miles. Taiwan troops use UNDERGROUND network to outsmart a Chinese invasion in unprecedented drills Another major milestone for the PrSMs is the speeds they reach. In Australia , the missile managed to soar past 4,000kmph- a remarkable 300kmph faster than the ATACMS. Advertisement Each missile launch pod will also be able to carry two of the precision missiles at any time, according to Alex Miller, the US Army's chief technology officer. Miller also proudly announced the PrSM is less susceptible to jamming meaning it has a far greater efficiency. It is expertly able to disguise itself through the air and go undetected until it is too late. Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, was full of praise for the new weapon. Advertisement He said: "It really creates a challenge for our adversaries, because where that system is now, it may not be there in 30 seconds or five minutes. "That's a real detection and targeting dilemma." 9 Experts have been full of praise for the effectiveness of the new weapon 9 Armoured amphibious units from China have been spotted practising naval formation in the latest threats to Taiwan Advertisement 9 Future upgrades to the missile are already in the works with developers hoping to exceed 300 miles and to integrate improved sensors and advanced warheads. China themselves have been working to assemble their own high-tech arsenal of weapons should a total war erupt. Vast improvements to their stealth bombers, missiles and drones have all taken place recently. Advertisement A new Chinese drone carrier that can launch deadly swarms against enemy targets has already been readied for takeoff . This unmanned With Xi even organising a set of "Terminator troops" to fight till the death. Beijing may be planning to genetically-modify its soldiers for an army of super troops, a defence think tank has warned. Advertisement Experts at Rusi say GM soldiers could be faster, stronger and cleverer than their battlefield opponents and even feel no pain. Their DNA could also be adapted to help them recover more quickly from injuries or give them superior hearing and night vision. China has sought to ramp up its military capabilities in recent years. Their military buildup has been watched warily around the world, as annexing Taiwan by force draws closer. Advertisement China has frequently Taiwan, known diplomatically as the Republic of China, has never been controlled by the Beijing-led People's Republic of China. But Chinese President Xi Jinping, who sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, has vowed to bring the island under Beijing's control soon. Any full invasion of Taiwan would likely be viewed as an attack on the US and prompt Trump's military to become directly involved in the region. Advertisement The US has been the island's strongest allies for decades as their main arms supplier - and Taiwan accounts for almost half of America's key microchips. 9 Donald Trump and Xi Jinping pictured in 2019 in Japan Credit: AFP 9


Scottish Sun
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Is THIS Trump's secret weapon to stop China invading Taiwan? Game-changer PRSM missile to wipe out Xi's armada is tested
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GAME-CHANGING new weapon has been successfully tested by the US as they continue to warn China against attacking Taiwan. Donald Trump has overseen the creation of the precision strike missiles (PrSMs) which are capable of wiping out Xi Jinping's whole armada should the despot launch an invasion . Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Australia successfully test-fired the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) for the first time Credit: Defence Industry Europe/CPL Cameron Pegg. 9 The PrSMs struck a target more than 190 miles away 9 China's Xi Jinping has vowed to take over Taiwan 'by force' if necessary despite the US threats Credit: Alamy 9 Washington and its allies have been trying to fend off a looming Chinese attack on their neighbours. Beijing has been staging war drills and sending terrifying threats to the self-governed island for years now. In recent months the US has voiced serious concerns around what China is planning with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warning an attack is "real and imminent". Hegseth said communist Beijing is "rehearsing for the real deal" and described the looming threat as a "wake-up call" for the world. Part of America's deterrence has seen them help to build a weapon capable of obliterating Chinese warships and aircraft carriers should a conflict ever spark in the region. The PrSMs have just been tested in Australia with the successful launch seeing it strike a target more than 190 miles away. It marks the first time the 13ft Lockheed Martin-manufactured weapon has been used by a US ally. The design means it can be fired by either US-made HIMARS launchers or British MLRS artillery systems. Despite only reaching 190 miles during testing, designers say the missiles have a range of more than 300 miles. Ukraine currently uses the ATACMS missiles to fend off Vladimir Putin's Russia but these only have a maximum range of 190 miles. Taiwan troops use UNDERGROUND network to outsmart a Chinese invasion in unprecedented drills Another major milestone for the PrSMs is the speeds they reach. In Australia, the missile managed to soar past 4,000kmph- a remarkable 300kmph faster than the ATACMS. Each missile launch pod will also be able to carry two of the precision missiles at any time, according to Alex Miller, the US Army's chief technology officer. Miller also proudly announced the PrSM is less susceptible to jamming meaning it has a far greater efficiency. It is expertly able to disguise itself through the air and go undetected until it is too late. Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, was full of praise for the new weapon. He said: "It really creates a challenge for our adversaries, because where that system is now, it may not be there in 30 seconds or five minutes. "That's a real detection and targeting dilemma." 9 Experts have been full of praise for the effectiveness of the new weapon 9 Armoured amphibious units from China have been spotted practising naval formation in the latest threats to Taiwan 9 Future upgrades to the missile are already in the works with developers hoping to exceed 300 miles and to integrate improved sensors and advanced warheads. China themselves have been working to assemble their own high-tech arsenal of weapons should a total war erupt. Vast improvements to their stealth bombers, missiles and drones have all taken place recently. A new Chinese drone carrier that can launch deadly swarms against enemy targets has already been readied for takeoff. This unmanned "drone mother ship" has been created as part of a terrifying drive to boost the Chinese air force's combat capabilities. With Xi even organising a set of "Terminator troops" to fight till the death. Beijing may be planning to genetically-modify its soldiers for an army of super troops, a defence think tank has warned. Experts at Rusi say GM soldiers could be faster, stronger and cleverer than their battlefield opponents and even feel no pain. Their DNA could also be adapted to help them recover more quickly from injuries or give them superior hearing and night vision. China has sought to ramp up its military capabilities in recent years. Their military buildup has been watched warily around the world, as annexing Taiwan by force draws closer. China has frequently carried out naval drills in the Taiwan Strait - which are widely seen as preparation for a potential invasion. Taiwan, known diplomatically as the Republic of China, has never been controlled by the Beijing-led People's Republic of China. But Chinese President Xi Jinping, who sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, has vowed to bring the island under Beijing's control soon. Any full invasion of Taiwan would likely be viewed as an attack on the US and prompt Trump's military to become directly involved in the region. The US has been the island's strongest allies for decades as their main arms supplier - and Taiwan accounts for almost half of America's key microchips. 9 Donald Trump and Xi Jinping pictured in 2019 in Japan Credit: AFP


Newsweek
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Alliance Flexes Missile Strike Capability Amid China Threat
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States and its Pacific ally, Australia, staged a show of force demonstrating their long-range strike capabilities through a missile test and the deployment of a rocket system. Both events took place during the ongoing multinational Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025—the largest and most-sophisticated warfighting exercise ever conducted in Australia. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese defense and foreign ministries for comment via email. Why It Matters China has claimed sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, overlapping the territorial claims of other regional countries and often leading to standoffs and clashes between their maritime forces. There have been growing concerns over Chinese military presence and activities throughout the Indo-Pacific. What To Know The Chinese military—operator of the world's largest naval force by hull count—has been expanding its reach beyond East Asia, including a dual aircraft carrier mission in the broader Western Pacific in June and a circumnavigation of Australia between February and March. Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 has previously featured live-fire anti-ship missile activities conducted by the Japanese Army, the Canadian Navy, and a U.S. land-based missile system, showcasing the capabilities of the U.S. and its allies in countering China's naval buildup. A photo released by the Australian military shows an Australian Army High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) fired a Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) from the Mount Bundey Training Area in the Northern Territory during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025. An Australian High Mobility Artillery Rocket System fires a Precision Strike Missile from the Mount Bundey Training Area in the Northern Territory, Australia, during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 on July 25, 2025. An Australian High Mobility Artillery Rocket System fires a Precision Strike Missile from the Mount Bundey Training Area in the Northern Territory, Australia, during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 on July 25, 2025. Australian Defense Department The Friday live-fire event marked the first time the PrSM was test-fired in Australia, the country's Defense Department said. The missile—which has a maximum range of more than 310 miles—is central to strengthening Australia's land and maritime strike capabilities. "The test conducted today was two years ahead of schedule and followed the delivery of the first PrSM a year ahead of schedule," according to the Australian military. The missile—codeveloped with the U. S.—is expected to be upgraded to extend its range to over 621 miles. Australia also received its first HIMARS—a truck-mounted launcher capable of carrying up to two rounds of PrSM—two months ahead of schedule. The South Pacific country has ordered 42 HIMARS launchers, with the first batch arriving from the U.S. in April. Meanwhile, the U.S. Army deployed its HIMARS launchers for the Australia-hosted war game, including one sent to Christmas Island—an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean, located 932 miles west of the mainland—for a simulated launch conducted on July 22. The HIMARS deployment—officially known as HIMARS Rapid Infiltration—demonstrated the ability to rapidly deploy and employ land-based, long-range precision fires by airlifting the launcher to a forward airfield, thereby extending the range of the munition it launched. A United States High Mobility Artillery Rocket System conducts a simulated launch on Australia's Christmas Island as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 on July 22, 2025. A United States High Mobility Artillery Rocket System conducts a simulated launch on Australia's Christmas Island as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 on July 22, 2025. Australian Defense Department The deployment of the HIMARS—which can hit both land and maritime targets—follows the transit of a Chinese three-ship naval task group near Christmas Island earlier this year. The remote island, which lies closer to Indonesia than to mainland Australia, is "very strategically positioned" in the Indian Ocean, and the Australian military needs to be able to operate there, said Commodore Peter Leavy, who oversaw the HIMARS deployment. What People Are Saying Australian Minister for Defense IndustryPat Conroy said in a press release on Friday: "From delivering HIMARS ahead of schedule to delivering and testing PrSM ahead of schedule, the Albanese Government is modernizing the Australian Army at speed. This successful launch is a significant milestone in the Government's plan to deliver a twenty-five-fold increase to Army's long-range strike capability." Australia's Defense Department said in a press release on Friday: "[HIMARS Rapid Infiltration] brings deterrence through the unpredictable appearance of land-based, long-range precision fires against land and maritime targets, and is an essential element of littoral warfare, which the Australian Army is now deeply focused on through the enhancement of its forces and capabilities." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 will include additional live-fire missile drills before it concludes.

ABC News
26-07-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Australian Army's new Precision Strike Missile fired at NT's Mount Bundey during Exercise Talisman Sabre
The Australian Army has test fired its newest long-range missile for the first time, launching the weapon from a remote army training base in the Northern Territory. The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), which can hit distant targets with minimal warning and high accuracy, was fired from the Mount Bundey Training Area, south-east of Darwin, on Friday. It hit its target over 300 kilometres away in four minutes and three seconds, reaching speeds of roughly 4,050 kilometres per hour — more than three times the speed of sound. Fired from US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), the PrSM can strike targets at distances of up to 500 kilometres with precision — a significant leap from the Australian Army's previous long-range strike range of just 30 kilometres. At a press conference at Mount Bundey on Friday, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the new weapon marked the day the "Australian Army enters the missile age". "This is all about extending deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, all about signalling to any potential adversary that pain can be inflicted — all about deterring war through strength," he said. Developed for the United States Army, the PrSM was sent to Australia last month as part of a $310 million deal with the US. The deal locks in Australian access to munitions, technological advancements and the option for future domestic manufacturing and maintenance. The missile launch was conducted as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre, a joint military exercise involving more than 40,000 military personnel from 19 nations, including the US. This year marks the largest iteration of the exercise since it began in 2005 as a way to practice maritime operations, air combat and live-fire exercises with international partners. On Friday, the Secretary of the United States Army, Dan Driscoll, was more forthright in his assessment of where the message of deterrence was aimed at. "President Trump, [the United States Secretary of Defence] Pete Hegseth and the rest of the Pentagon team have been very clear that our pacing threat is China," he said. While the US Army's chief of staff, General Randy George, did not respond directly to questions about an imminent threat, or whether there were enhanced capabilities in China, he said keeping up with technological advancements was "what keeps us up at night". "What we are trying to do is to transform as rapidly as possible," he said. Alex Miller, the US Army's chief technology officer, said the PrSM's high speed halved the amount of warning time given to a potential enemy. He also said while the missile's explosion would not "level a city", its precision, driven by advanced navigation, was what made it lethal. "When you think about having six to seven minutes rather than 15 to 20 minutes, that's a lot less time for [a target] to pack up and roll out if they learn that they are being shot at," he said. In a statement from Mr Conroy's office, a spokesperson said future upgrades to the PrSM could include an extended strike range of over 1,000 kilometres, improved sensors and novel warheads.

Business Insider
21-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
One launcher, many allied munitions — this is what a top general says the US Army wants for future war
A top general said that the US Army wants common launchers that it and its allies can use to easily fire a range of munitions across arsenals. Gen. Christopher Donahue, the commanding general of US Army Europe and Africa, talked last week about what weapons systems and technologies the service is focused on with its industry partners. One was under the topic of long-range fires and air defenses. "What we want to develop is a common launcher," he said at the LANDEURO Conference in Germany, "that is both offensive and defensive capable." Such a system, Donahue explained, would have a common fire control system that any US ally or partner can use. "Right now, there are many nations that if they buy a platform and another nation buys that platform, they're not interoperable because of that lack of common operating system." "We want it to be one system optionally manned," he said, "and we want to be able to take munitions from any country and shoot through that." The emphasis on building an optionally crewed system reflects broader efforts across the US military to embrace uncrewed elements to reduce risks to personnel, who, unlike a machine, can be killed or wounded. Modularity, likewise, has also been highly desired in newer military systems, especially in uncrewed systems. Such systems can be reconfigured with different hardware and software depending on mission objectives, combat environments, enemy countermeasures, and individual soldier or personnel wants. At LANDEURO, Donahue said interoperability was one of the top concerns from US allies and partners and needed to be considered by defense industry partners. Cost-effectiveness was also highlighted at the event as something to watch. "As a general rule, whatever you're shooting at, whatever weapon system or munition you shoot at another adversary's capability, it should be cheaper than what you're shooting down," he said. In recent months, Army leadership has been pushing ahead with a sweeping review of its force structure, weapons, and programs, cutting what it sees as unnecessary to be prepared for future conflicts. The Army Transformation Initiative ranges from vehicles and helicopter formation changes to heavy investments in new drones. The efforts in the directive are estimated to cost around $36 billion over the next five years and represent one of the largest Army overhauls since the end of the Cold War. Long-range fires are a priority in the initiative. In a memo from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this year, the Army was directed to field long-range missiles that can strike moving land and maritime targets by 2027. Some existing systems could fit that bill, including the surface-to-surface Precision Strike Missile, the Mid-Range Capability Typhon system, and the Long-Range Hypersonic Missiles. The interest within the Army in more long-range fires, air defense, and evolutions in offensive and defensive capabilities has been there, but new efforts stem from recent conflicts, including the war in Ukraine and developments like the Patriot missile defense engagements with Iranian threats. The latter was highlighted by US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll and Gen. James Rainey, commanding general of Army Futures Command, during a recent interview with Business Insider. Driscoll said integrated air and missile defenses are "one of the most demanded and deployed capabilities we as an Army have," explaining that the Patriot battalions would see increased investment and recruitment going forward.