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U.S. Marines, Army Prove Sea-Based Missile Operations in Hawaii as PrSM Sees Combat Debut

Sea-enabled deployments featured contested insertion, resupply, then rapid dispersal to complicate targeting across Pacific islands.

Overview

  • During a February combat readiness evaluation, the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment inserted NMESIS launchers at Kauai’s Pacific Missile Range Facility, received NSM reloads via littoral surface connector, executed simulated fire missions, and dispersed.
  • NMESIS unmanned launchers field Naval Strike Missiles with an estimated 115‑nautical‑mile reach, aligning with Marine Corps plans to deny key maritime terrain to Chinese naval forces.
  • The U.S. Army demonstrated HIMARS roll-on/roll-off operations from the new Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) in Hawaii during Lightning Surge/Operation HIMARS LORAIN, validating precision fires deployed from the sea and trialing a next-generation command-and-control system.
  • U.S. Central Command confirmed the Precision Strike Missile’s first combat use in Operation Epic Fury against Iranian targets, describing the capability as unrivaled while early operational deliveries continue.
  • The Army is pursuing future PrSM increments, including a planned anti-ship variant with roughly 1,000‑kilometer range that could give HIMARS a significant maritime strike role.