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Updated June 29, 2023
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.
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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)
communications from the Battery Operations
Organization
Center to the Launcher resulted in the launch of a
Tomahawk missile. This test follows the successful
launch of an SM-6 missile from the Mid-Range
Capability system earlier this year, confirming the
full operational capability of the system.
FY2024 SMRF Budgetary Information
Table 1. FY2024 SMRF Budget Request
Funding
Total Request
Total Request
Category
($ Million)
(Qty.)
RDT&E
$31.559
—
Procurement
$169.519
58
Sources: RDT&E: Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2024 Budget
Estimates, Army Justification Book 2b of 2, Research, Development,
Test & Evaluation, Army, RDT&E–Volume II, Budget Activity 4B,
March 2023, p. 235. Procurement: Department of Defense Fiscal
Year (FY) 2024 Budget Estimates, March 2023, Army Justification
Book Volume 1 of 1 Missile Procurement, p. 83.
Source: Chief of Staff Paper #1 Army Multi-Domain Transformation
Ready to Win in Competition and Conflict, March 16, 2021, p. 12.
Notes: RDT&E = Research, Development, Test & Evaluation;
Note: MRC Battery depicted above is now known as the SMRF
Qty. = FY2024 procurement quantities.
Battery.
Potential Issues for Congress
The Army describes MDTFs as “theater-level maneuver
elements designed to synchronize precision effects and
Additional SMRF Units
precision fires in all domains against adversary anti-access/
As previously noted, the Army’s current plans call for
area denial (A2/AD) networks in all domains, enabling joint
fielding four SMRF batteries starting at the end of FY2023.
forces to execute their operational plan (OPLAN)-directed
The Army, however, plans for five MDTFs, with each
roles.”
MDTF having one organic SMRF battery, suggesting that
one MDTF might not have an organic SMRF battery. Given
What Is Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD)?
this potential inconsistency and questions about additional
Anti-Access (A2) is an action, activity, or capability, usually
SMRF batteries, including the possible fielding of SMRF
long-range, designed to prevent an advancing enemy force
batteries to the Army National Guard, Congress might seek
from entering an operational area.
to clarify the Army’s long-term requirements for SMRF
Area Denial (AD) is an action, activity, or capability, usually
batteries beyond the four currently planned.
short-range, designed to limit an enemy force’s freedom of
action within an operational area.
Overseas Stationing of SMRF Units
Source: Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and
On March 30, 2021, the Chief of Staff of the Army
Associated Terms, November 2021.
discussing the LRHW, reportedly noted, “The politics of
where they’re based, how they’re based, will be up to the
Program Status
policymakers and the diplomats.” In a similar manner,
Reportedly, Lockheed Martin delivered the first of four
overseas basing of SMRF batteries will also be subject to
prototype Typhoon systems to the Army on December 2,
political decisions. Given range limitations of Army LRPF
2022. The Army plans to field its first prototype SMRF
systems, the inability to secure overseas basing rights for
battery no later than the fourth quarter FY2023.
these units could limit or negate their effectiveness. On
December 1, 2021, the Secretary of the Army reportedly
SMRF Test Launches and Full Operational
stated, “the Army is ready, when called upon, to be able to
Capability
put those kinds of capabilities in the region. But it’s really
[the State and Defense Departments] that will take the lead
On June 27, 2023, the Army reported:
in those discussions.” Reportedly, in May 2022, the
The Army's Rapid Capabilities and Critical
Secretary of the Army stated the Army did not yet have
Technologies Office's Mid-Range Capability
basing agreements for long-range systems but “discussions
Project Office, in conjunction with soldiers from 1st
were ongoing” with a number of countries in the Indo-
Multi-Domain Task Force, and the U.S. Navy
Pacific region. Given the importance of basing, Congress
Program Executive Office Unmanned Aviation and
might examine ongoing efforts to secure Army long-range
Strike Weapons, successfully demonstrated the
precision fires unit basing in both Europe and the Indo-
launch of a Tomahawk missile from the Army's
Pacific region.
prototype Mid-Range Capability system. Soldiers
assigned to 1st Multi-Domain Task Force
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
conducted this live-fire event in which successful
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 8 · UPDATED