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Updated December 27, 2022
The U.S. Army’s Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) System
(Formerly Mid-Range Capabilities [MRC] System)
What Is the Army’s Strategic Mid-Range
Fires (SMRF) System?
Figure 2. Tomahawk Cruise Missile
Reported improvements to Russian and Chinese artillery
systems present a challenge to the U.S. Army. These
improved, longer-ranged artillery systems, new
employment techniques employing 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, the U.S. Army is seeking to improve its ability to

deliver what it refers to as long-range precision fires
Source: https://www.raytheonmissilesanddefense.com/what-we-do/
(LRPF) by upgrading current artillery and missile systems,
naval-warfare/advanced-strike-weapons/tomahawk-cruise-missile,
developing new longer-ranged cannons and hypersonic
accessed June 14, 2022.
weapons, and modifying existing air- and sea-launched
Note: Tomahawk cruise missiles come in both sea-launched and air-
missiles for ground launch.
launched variants.
Originally known as the Mid-Range Capabilities (MRC)
SMRF Weapon System Components
System, SMRF is part of the Army’s LRPF modernization
According to the Army, the prototype SMRF battery is
portfolio. It is intended to hit targets at ranges between the
planned to consist of four launchers and a battery
Army’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) (about 300 miles
operations center (BOC). Reportedly, a decision has not
maximum range) and the developmental Long-Range
been made on how many missiles each battery will have.
Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) system (about 1,725 miles
SMRF batteries are to be equipped with a number of prime
maximum range). The SMRF Weapon System is to
movers, trailers, generators, and support vehicles. Numbers
leverage existing Raytheon-produced SM-6 missiles
of soldiers assigned to each battery is presently unknown.
(Figure 1) and Raytheon-produced Tomahawk cruise
The Army plans for the first prototype SMRF battery to be
missiles (Figure 2), and modify them for ground launch by
fielded no later than the fourth quarter of FY2023 and three
Army units. The SMRF system is also known as the
additional batteries are to be fielded on an annual basis
“Typhon” missile system.
thereafter. It is not clear at this time if the Army will field
more than four SMRF batteries and if any of the batteries
Figure 1. SM-6 Missile
will be Army National Guard units.
MRC Unit Organization
The Army plans to field a SMRF 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 Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) System (Formerly Mid-Range Capabilities [MRC] System)
Figure 3. Army Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF)
Table 2.FY2023 SMRF Authorizations and
Organization
Appropriations
Total
Funding
Authorized Appropriated Request
Category
($M)
($M)
(Qty.)
RDT&E
$404.291
$404.291
—

Sources: Authorized: Rules Committee Print 117-70 Text of the
House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 7776
(Showing the text of the James M. Inhofe National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023), December 6, 2022, p. 1809.
Appropriated: Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bil , H.R.
2617, Division C - Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2023,
December 19, 2022, p. 89K.
Potential Issues for Congress
Additional SMRF Units
Source: Chief of Staff Paper #1 Army Multi-Domain Transformation
As previously noted, the Army’s current plans call for
Ready to Win in Competition and Conflict, March 16, 2021, p. 12.
fielding four SMRF batteries starting at the end of FY2023.
Note: MRC Battery depicted above is now known as the SMRF
The Army, however, plans for five MDTFs, with each
Battery.
MDTF having one organic SMRF battery, suggesting that
The Army describes MDTFs as “
one MDTF might not have an organic SMRF battery. Given
theater-level maneuver
this potential inconsistency and questions about additional
elements designed to synchronize precision effects and
SMRF batteries, including the possible fielding of SMRF
precision fires in all domains against adversary anti-access/
batteries to the Army National Guard, Congress might seek
area denial (A2/AD) networks in all domains, enabling joint
to clarify the Army’s long-term requirements for SMRF
forces to execute their operational plan (OPLAN)-directed
roles.”
batteries beyond the four currently planned.

Overseas Stationing of SMRF Units
What Is Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD)?
On March 30, 2021, the Chief of Staff of the Army
Anti-Access (A2) is an action, activity, or capability, usually
discussing the LRHW, reportedly noted, “The politics of
long-range, designed to prevent an advancing enemy force
where they’re based, how they’re based, will be up to the
from entering an operational area.
policymakers and the diplomats.” In a similar manner,
Area Denial (AD) is an action, activity, or capability, usually
overseas basing of SMRF batteries will also be subject to
short-range, designed to limit an enemy force’s freedom of
political decisions. Given range limitations of Army LRPF
action within an operational area.
systems, the inability to secure overseas basing rights for
Source: Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and
these units could limit or negate their effectiveness. On
Associated Terms, November 2021.
December 1, 2021, the Secretary of the Army reportedly
stated, “the Army is ready, when called upon, to be able to
Program Status
put those kinds of capabilities in the region. But it’s really
[the State and Defense Departments] that will take the lead
Reportedly, Lockheed Martin delivered the first of four
in those discussions.” Reportedly, in May 2022, the
prototype Typhoon systems to the Army on December 2,
Secretary of the Army stated the Army did not yet have
2022.
basing agreements for long-range systems but “discussions
FY2023 SMRF Budgetary Information
were ongoing” with a number of countries in the Indo-
Pacific region. Given the importance of basing, Congress
Table 1. FY2023 SMRF Budget Request
might examine ongoing efforts to secure Army long-range
precision fires unit basing in both Europe and the Indo-
Total
Pacific region.
Total Request
Request
Funding Category
($ Million)
(Qty.)
References
RDT&E
$404.291
—




CRS In Focus IF11991, The U.S. Army’s Long-Range
TOTAL
$404.291
—
Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), by Andrew Feickert.
Source: Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Estimates,
 CRS In Focus IF11797, The Army’s Multi-Domain Task
Army Justification Book 2a of 2, Research, Development, Test &
Force (MDTF), by Andrew Feickert.
Evaluation, Army, RDT&E–Volume II, Budget Activity 4, April 2022,
p. 677.
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
Notes: RDT&E = Research, Development, Test & Evaluation;
Qty. = FY2023 procurement quantities.
IF12135
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The U.S. Army’s Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) System (Formerly Mid-Range Capabilities [MRC] System)


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12135 · VERSION 6 · UPDATED