U.S. Army "Typhon" Strategic Mid-Range Fires System () Special Assessment

Key Chapter Title List

1. What is the Army's Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) System?
2. Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) Weapon System Composition
3. Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) Unit Structure
4. What is Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD)?
5. Project Development Status
6. Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) Test Launches and Full Operational Capability
7. Deployment to the Philippines for the 2024 "Salaknib" Exercise
8. Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) Battery Activation and Fielding
9. Typhon System-Related Activities within the Philippines
10. 2025 Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) Live-Fire Exercise Plans
11. Potential Congressional Concerns: System Deployment Locations
12. Potential Deterrence Value of Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) Units

Document Introduction

The continuous improvement of Russian and Chinese artillery systems poses significant challenges to the U.S. Army. This includes advancements in long-range artillery performance, the proliferation of new technologies for drone application, and the spread of specialized munitions (such as precision-guided munitions, thermobaric weapons, loitering munitions, and top-attack munitions). These developments have reignited concerns about the potential impact of Russian and Chinese fires on U.S. military operations and ground combat systems. In this context, the U.S. Army is committed to enhancing its so-called Long-Range Precision Fires (LRPF) capability by upgrading existing artillery and missile systems, developing new long-range systems and hypersonic weapons, and adapting existing air-launched and ship-launched missiles for ground launch.

The Typhon Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) system, formerly known as the Mid-Range Capability (MRC) system, is a crucial component of the Army's Long-Range Precision Fires modernization portfolio. Its strike range falls between the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) and the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) under development. The system utilizes Raytheon-produced SM-6 missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles, modified for ground launch. It is primarily assigned to the Army's regionally-aligned Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) Strategic Fires Battalion. Its mission is to synchronize precision strike effects across all domains, counter adversary Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) networks, and support the execution of operational plans by joint forces.

Regarding project progress, Lockheed Martin delivered the first four prototype systems to the Army in December 2022. The Army originally planned to field the first prototype battery by the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2023, with three additional batteries fielded annually thereafter. In 2023, the system successfully completed test launches of both the SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles, validating its full operational capability. In April 2024, the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force deployed an SMRF battery to northern Luzon, Philippines, to participate in Exercise "Salaknib 24" and the subsequent "Balikatan 24" exercise. Earlier that year, in January, the Army activated its second SMRF battery. In January 2025, U.S. forces repositioned Typhon launchers within the Philippines to test their mobility, with plans for a live-fire exercise during the summer "Talisman Sabre" exercise in Australia.

The deployment of this system has elicited complex geopolitical reactions. China and Russia have criticized its presence in the Philippines, arguing that it could escalate an arms race and undermine regional stability. For Congress, key concerns include the planning for deployment locations of the remaining two systems and how to maximize the system's potential deterrence value in the Indo-Pacific region and other theaters. This report, based on officially released project updates, exercise developments, and deployment information, comprehensively presents the current development status and strategic impact of the SMRF system, providing a core reference for related policy analysis and strategic assessment.