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June 16, 2022
The U.S. Army’s Mid-Range Capability (MRC) Weapon System
What Is the Army’s Mid-Range
Capability (MRC) Weapon System?
Figure 2. Tomahawk Cruise Missile
Reported improvements to Russian and Chinese artillery
systems present a challenge to the U.S. Army. Russia’s and
China’s improved, longer-ranged artillery systems, new
employment techniques leveraging unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAV) for target acquisition, and the proliferation
of special munitions—such as precision, thermobaric,
loitering, and top-attack munitions—have renewed
concerns about the potential impact of Russian and Chinese
artillery on U.S. combat operations and ground combat
systems. In response to this challenge, the U.S. Army is
seeking to improve its ability to deliver what it refers to as
Source: https://www.raytheonmissilesanddefense.com/what-we-do/
long-range precision fires (LRPF) by upgrading current
naval-warfare/advanced-strike-weapons/tomahawk-cruise-missile,
artillery and missile systems, developing new longer-ranged
accessed June 14, 2022.
cannons and hypersonic weapons, and modifying existing
Notes: Tomahawk cruise missiles come in both sea-launched and
air- and sea-launched missiles for ground launch. Army
air-launched variants and are currently used by the U.S. Navy and
leadership has stated LRPF is its number one modernization
U.S. Air Force.
priority.
MRC Weapon System Components
The MRC Weapon System is part of the Army’s LRPF
According to the Army, the prototype MRC battery is
modernization portfolio. It is intended to hit targets at
planned to consist of four launchers and a battery
ranges between the Army’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM)
operations center (BOC). Reportedly, a decision has not yet
(about 300 miles maximum range) and the developmental
been made on how many missiles each battery will have.
Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) system (about
MRC batteries are to be equipped with a number of prime
1,725 miles maximum range). The MRC Weapon System is
movers, trailers, generators, cabling, and support vehicles.
to leverage existing SM-6 missiles (Figure 1) and
Numbers of soldiers assigned to each battery is presently
Tomahawk cruise missiles (Figure 2)—both of which are
unknown. The Army plans for the first prototype MRC
currently produced by Raytheon—and modify them for
battery to be fielded no later than the fourth quarter of
ground launch by Army units. The MRC system has been
FY2023 and three additional batteries are to be fielded on
referred to as the “Typhon” missile system in Army
an annual basis thereafter. It is not clear at this time if the
briefings.
Army will field more than four MRC batteries and if any of
the batteries will be Army National Guard units.
Figure 1. SM-6 Missile
MRC Unit Organization
The Army plans to field a MRC battery in the Strategic
Fires Battalion of the Army’s regionally aligned Multi-
Domain Task Force (MDTF) (Figure 3).
Source: https://www.raytheonmissilesanddefense.com/news/2016/
03/07/sm-6-anti-surface-warfare, accessed June 14, 2022.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The U.S. Army’s Mid-Range Capability (MRC) Weapon System
Figure 3. Army Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF)
Potential Issues for Congress
Organization
Additional MRC Units
As previously noted, the Army’s current plans call for
fielding four MRC batteries starting at the end of FY2023.
The Army, however, plans for five MDTFs, with each
MDTF having one organic MRC battery, suggesting that
one MDTF might not have an organic MRC battery. Given
this potential inconsistency and questions about additional
MRC batteries, including the possible fielding of MRC
batteries to the Army National Guard, Congress might seek
to clarify the Army’s long-term requirements for MRC
batteries beyond the four currently planned.
Industrial Base Capacity
Currently, Raytheon produces SM-6 missiles and
Tomahawk cruise missiles for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air
Force and foreign militaries. While it is not clear how many
SM-6 and Tomahawk cruise missiles will be required for
the Army’s M
Source: Chief of Staff Paper #1 Army Multi-Domain Transformation
RC batteries and theater war stocks, there
Ready to Win in Competition and Conflict, March 16, 2021, p. 12.
could be production considerations for the U.S. defense
industrial base. Given this possibility, Congress might
The Army describes MDTFs as “theater-level maneuver
examine potential MRC-related industrial base capacity
elements designed to synchronize precision effects and
concerns.
precision fires in all domains against adversary anti-access/
area denial (A2/AD) networks in all domains, enabling joint
Overseas Stationing of MRC Units
forces to execute their operational plan (OPLAN)-directed
On March 30, 2021, the Chief of Staff of the Army
roles.”
discussing the LRHW, reportedly noted, “The politics of
where they’re based, how they’re based, will be up to the
policymakers and the diplomats.” In a similar manner,
What Is Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD)?
overseas basing of MRC batteries will also be subject to
Anti-Access (A2) is an action, activity, or capability, usually
political decisions. Given range limitations of Army long-
long-range, designed to prevent an advancing enemy force
range precision fires systems, the inability to secure
from entering an operational area.
overseas basing rights for these units could limit or negate
Area Denial (AD) is an action, activity, or capability, usually
their effectiveness. On December 1, 2021, the Secretary of
short-range, designed to limit an enemy force’s freedom of
the Army reportedly stated that “the Army is ready, when
action within an operational area.
called upon, to be able to put those kinds of capabilities in
the region. But it’s really [the State and Defense
Source: Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and
Departments] that will take the lead in those discussions.”
Associated Terms, November 2021.
Reportedly, in May 2022, the Secretary of the Army stated
the Army did not yet have basing agreements for long-
MRC Budgetary Information
range systems but “discussions were ongoing” with a
number of countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Given the
Table 1. FY2023 MRC Budget Request
importance of basing, Congress might examine ongoing
efforts to secure Army long-range precision fires unit
Total
basing in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.
Total Request
Request
Funding Category
($ Million)
(Qty.)
References
RDT&E
$404.291
—
CRS Report R46721, U.S. Army Long-Range Precision
Fires: Background and Issues for Congress, by Andrew
TOTAL
$404.291
—
Feickert.
Source: Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Estimates,
Army Justification Book 2a of 2, Research, Development, Test &
CRS In Focus IF11991, The U.S. Army’s Long-Range
Evaluation, Army, RDT&E – Volume II, Budget Activity 4, April 2022,
Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), by Andrew Feickert.
p. 677.
CRS In Focus IF11797, The Army’s Multi-Domain Task
Notes: RDT&E = Research, Development, Test & Evaluation; Qty.
Force (MDTF), by Andrew Feickert.
= FY2023 procurement quantities.
CRS Report R45996, Precision-Guided Munitions:
Background and Issues for Congress, by John R. Hoehn.
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
IF12135
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The U.S. Army’s Mid-Range Capability (MRC) Weapon System
Disclaimer
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