US Army moves forward with ATACMS replacement.

Thanks to William for the link!

via Press Release.

The U.S. Army has awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) a $5.7 million risk-mitigation contract for the Long Range Precision Fires program. The new missile will replace the Army's
aging inventory of long range, surface-to-surface missiles. Fired from mobile launchers, LRPF will fly farther, faster, and feature a new warhead. "As the world's largest missile maker, Raytheon is ideally positioned to develop the Long Range Precision Fires solution the Army needs," said Dr. Thomas Bussing, Raytheon Advanced Missile Systems vice president. "With our wide portfolio of products, proven technology and guided missile expertise, Raytheon can deliver a low-risk, highly effective and affordable solution."

The Army's current inventory of long range, precision-guided,
surface-to-surface missiles dates back to the 1980s. The new LRPF missile will be more affordable, survivable against advanced threats, and more compact, allowing the Army to double the fire power of long-range missiles in its mobile launchers.

I once thought that the Navy was the only service that was truly getting ready to fight the next war.  After a few missteps by the ladies dept I'm thinking that only the Army has a clear view of a future fight with a near peer.

They've latched onto the idea of fighting without air superiority.  They're working on upgrading their armor (kinda stuck with the Stryker but at least they're adding firepower to it...the M1 Abrams upgrades are keeping pace and the AMPV seems on track) and now they're getting their rocket artillery house in order.

ATACMS is the conventional Pershing that we've always needed and its nice to see they're finally getting one.  Now if they could only get cannon artillery fixed.