Lockheed Martin has completed a live-fire demonstration of its Spike Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) missile system mounted on a light tactical vehicle. It shows how US Army infantry units could gain long-range precision-strike capabilities without depending on heavier missile-launching platforms.
The three-day demonstration took place at Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah and involved 17 precision engagements against simulated operational targets at different combat ranges. According to Lockheed Martin, most of the shots were conducted by US Army infantry soldiers, with every missile launched from the Infantry Squad Vehicle–Utility (ISV-U).
With a ground-launch range of about 30 km (19 miles), the missile far surpasses the reach of the standard shoulder-fired Javelin.
The test marked the first time the Spike NLOS missile had been fired from the ISV-U platform. It also advances the Army’s Mobile Long-Range Precision Strike Missile (M-LRPSM) requirement, which aims to provide mobile brigade combat teams with a ground-based capability to strike targets beyond the operator’s direct line of sight.
Turning a light vehicle into a missile platform
The ISV-U is a utility variant of the Army’s Infantry Squad Vehicle, a lightweight tactical vehicle designed to transport soldiers across challenging terrain. Integrating the Spike NLOS system could give infantry formations a mobile precision-strike option while allowing them to operate without the footprint of larger, dedicated missile-launching vehicles.
Spike NLOS is designed to engage targets beyond the launch platform’s direct line of sight. This lets operators attack targets that may be obscured by terrain or otherwise difficult to engage with conventional line-of-sight weapons.
The system is part of a broader effort to give ground forces greater reach and flexibility on the battlefield. A mobile launcher could allow units to reposition between engagements and support troops operating across dispersed areas, although the precise configuration and operational performance of the ISV-U integration have not yet been fully disclosed.
Lockheed Martin said the demonstration showed that soldiers could safely employ the missile from the vehicle and complete training and live-fire missions within the same week. The company did not disclose the specific engagement distances or provide a detailed breakdown of the targets used during the trials.
Soldier feedback will shape Army requirements
The demonstration is also part of the Army’s Transformation in Contact (TIC) initiative, which puts emerging capabilities into soldiers’ hands early so that their feedback can inform future equipment requirements.
According to Lockheed Martin, TIC units were among the first soldiers to handle the system during the demonstration. Their observations, combined with live-fire data, will help the Army refine the requirements for M-LRPSM and determine how the capability should be integrated into its formations.
“This demonstration represents a critical milestone for Spike NLOS, showing that our infantry partners can confidently employ a long-range precision missile,” said Casey Walsh, program director for Lockheed Martin’s Multi-Domain Missile Systems. He added that the test data and soldier feedback would support the development of final requirements and the eventual fielding process.
The company said the demonstration builds on earlier Phase 1 and Phase 2 milestones. Further validation testing is planned over the next year before Phase 3, when initial operational production is expected to begin, and final system prototypes will be delivered to the Army.
For the Army, the value of the system lies in combining long-range precision weapons with a relatively lightweight ground platform. Such a capability could give mobile brigade combat teams more options for engaging high-value targets without bringing heavier launchers closer to the fight.