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Lockheed Martin's Precision Strike Missile allegedly killed 21 civilians in Lamerd during its first combat use

The U.S. military is investing billions into the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) developed by Lockheed Martin, a weapon designed to replace the long-range Army Tactical Missile System. The munition is engineered to explode in midair and propel tens of thousands of tungsten pellets in all directions, creating a distinctive pockmarked blast pattern. Analysis by the conflict monitor Airwars, corroborated by The Associated Press, indicates that the PrSM was likely used for the first time in combat during the Iran war. Three missiles of this type struck the southern city of Lamerd on February 28, allegedly killed 21 civilians, including seven children, and caused significant structural damage. Airwars mapped the damage radius, finding that civilians were killed as far as 50 meters from the detonation points. While U.S. Central Command initially denied responsibility for the Lamerd strikes, attributing them to an Iranian Hoveyzeh cruise missile, weapons experts and Airwars have pushed back against this claim. Experts noted that the Iranian model lacks the rounded engine of the missile seen in security footage. The administration announced an $8.4 billion contract with Lockheed Martin to expand production of the PrSM, which can strike targets over 499 kilometers away.

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