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. Composition of the Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) Weapon System
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 Exercise Salaknib 2024
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 Plan
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. Enhancements in long-range artillery performance, the application of new drone technologies, and the proliferation of specialized munitions (such as precision-guided munitions, thermobaric weapons, loitering munitions, and top-attack munitions) have reignited concerns about the potential impact of Russian and Chinese firepower 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 modifying 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 modified Raytheon-produced SM-6 missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles 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 precise strike effects across all domains, counter adversary Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) networks, and support the execution of operational plans by the joint force.

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, verifying 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 Exercise Balikatan 24. The Army activated its second SMRF battery in January of the same year. In January 2025, U.S. forces adjusted the deployment locations of Typhon launchers within the Philippines to test their mobility, with plans to conduct live-fire exercises during the Talisman Sabre exercise in Australia in the summer.

The deployment of this system has elicited complex geopolitical reactions. China and Russia have criticized its presence in the Philippines, arguing that it could intensify an arms race and undermine regional stability. For Congress, core concerns include the planning for the 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 essential reference for relevant policy analysis and strategic assessment.