Updated March 22, 2024
The U.S. Army’s Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC)
System
Background
IFPC Increment 2
Protecting high-value military sites against enemy cruise
missile (CM), unmanned aerial system (UAS), and rocket,
Figure 1. IFPC Increment 2 Prototype
artillery, and mortar (RAM) attacks has long been an
important consideration in protecting military forces. The
2020 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle
East have heightened interest in the efficacy of these force
protection systems and highlighted the requirement to
protect sites and other assets from such threats.
According to the Army, the Indirect Fire Protection
Capability (IFPC) System “is a mobile, ground-based
weapon system designed to defeat cruise missiles (CM),
unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and rocket, artillery, and
mortars (RAM).” IFPC is to consist of a launcher and
interceptors. IFPC is to use the U.S. Army’s Integrated Air

and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) for
Source: IFPC Increment 2 Prototype: https://asc.army.mil/web/
mission command and integrate the AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel
portfolio-item/ms-ifpc_inc_2-i/.
Radar as its sensor. IFPC is intended to “protect critical
fixed- or semi-fixed assets,” and “bridge the gap between
On September 24, 2021, the Army announced “the award of
short-range air defense (SHORAD) systems, the Patriot air
a three-year prototype Other Transaction Authority
and missile defense system, and the Terminal High Altitude
Agreement (OTA) to Dynetics (a subsidiary of Leidos) for
Area Defense (THAAD) system.”
the development and delivery of 16 launcher prototypes, 60
interceptors, and associated all-up-round magazines for the
Origins of the IFPC Program
Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2.” The OTA
The Army initiated the IFPC program, known as IFPC
was valued at approximately $237.38 million over two and
Increment 1, in 2004. In 2005, the Army deployed the
a half years.
Land-based Phalanx Weapon System (LPWS) along with
associated radars to Iraq to intercept hostile rockets,
Plans called for prototype development in Huntsville, AL,
artillery, and mortars (RAM). The Army treated this as an
and Tucson, AZ, with deliveries to support testing
interim solution and continued developmental efforts.
beginning in the fourth quarter of FY2022. The first IFPC
Concerned with the pace and direction of the Army’s
Increment 2 combat-capable battery was to be available to
counter RAM (C-RAM) development, some in Congress
the Army in the fourth quarter of FY2023. The Army
expressed an interest in acquiring Israel’s Iron Dome C-
planned to make a Milestone C Decision (decision to
RAM system as an interim solution. In both the FY2019
transition to procurement) in the second quarter of FY2024
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (P.L. 115-
and field the first IFPC Increment 2 battalion by FY2026.
232) and the FY2019 Department of Defense
Appropriations Act (P.L. 115-245), Congress directed the
IFPC Variants
Army to deploy four batteries—two in 2020 and two in
The Army is presently developing three IFPC variants, the
2023—of a medium-range air defense system to counter
Increment 2 Interceptor variant, the High Energy Laser
cruise missiles and other threats. In response to this
(HEL) variant, and the High-Power Microwave (HPM)
mandate, the Army selected Iron Dome as providing “the
variant. Each variant is in a different stage of development,
best value to the Army based on its schedule, cost per kill,
and variants are intended to operate in a complementary
magazine depth, and capability against specified threats.”
manner.
Because of difficulties integrating the first two Iron Dome
IFPC Increment 2 Interceptor Variant
batteries into existing and planned U.S. Army air and
The interceptor variant is to utilize an open architecture
missile defense command and control architecture, the
design to enable future missile integration. Reportedly,
FY2021 NDAA (P.L. 116-283) waived the requirement for
Increment 2 can employ the AIM-9X Sidewinder missile
the final two Iron Dome batteries. The decision not to adopt
and the AGM-114L Longbow variant of the Hellfire
Iron Dome reportedly served as the basis for the Army
missile. The Army is also testing the Israeli Tamir missile
initiating the IFPC Increment 2 program.
used by Israel’s Iron Dome system.
https://crsreports.congress.gov

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The U.S. Army’s Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) System
November 2023 IFPC Program Delay
awarded a $66.1 million contract to Epirus to deliver four
Reportedly, the IFPC Increment 2 program is facing a delay
high-powered microwave prototypes to the Army in
of at least eight months and possibly a year attributed to
FY2024 for testing.
“aggressive activity to support fielding in Guam by 2027.”
Based on new plans, Initial Operational Test and Evaluation
FY2025 IFPC Budgetary Information
(OT&E), originally planned for FY2025, will now begin in
FY2026. Despite the delay, the Army reportedly intends to
Table 1. FY2025 IFPC Budget Request
meet its 2027 Guam fielding deadline.
Total Request
IFPC High Energy Laser (HEL)
Funding Category
($M)
Procurement - IFPC
$657.581
Figure 2. Notional IFPC High Energy Laser (HEL)
Increment 2-1
Quantity - 44
RDT&E - IFPC HEL
$31.643
RDT&E - IFPC HPM
$4.031
Sources: Procurement: Department of Defense FY2025 Budget
Estimates, March 2024, Army Justification Book Volume 1 of 1,
Missile Procurement, p. 1-49. RDT&E: Department of Defense Fiscal
Year (FY) 2025 Budget Estimates, March 2024, Research,
Development, Test & Evaluation, RDT&E − Volume 2a of 2, Budget
Activity 4a, p. 318.

Notes: RDT&E = Research, Development, Test & Evaluation; $M =
Source: Notional IFPC High Energy Laser (HEL):
U.S. dol ars in mil ions.
https://www.army.mil/article/233346/
scaling_up_army_advances_300kw_class_laser_prototype.
Considerations for Congress
IFPC HEL is being designed by Dynetics to protect critical
Oversight questions Congress could consider include the
fixed- or semi-fixed assets against CMs, UASs, and RAMs
following:
using a laser as opposed to interceptor missiles. The Army
• To what extent would IFPC units be expected to protect
plans to mount four operational 300 kilowatt (kW)-class
other military services’ fixed or semi-fixed sites such as
IFPC HEL prototypes onto tactical vehicles by FY2024. If
Air Force air bases, Navy port facilities, or Marine
testing proves successful, the Army then plans to transition
Corps sites?
the IFPC HEL to a Program of Record in FY2025.
• According to a February 2024 white paper, Army Force
IFPC High Power Microwave (HPM)
Structure Transformation, the Army plans to invest in
“four additional IFPC battalions, providing a short to
Figure 3. IFPC High Power Microwave (HPM)
medium-range capability to defend against unmanned
aerial systems, cruise missiles, rockets, artillery and
mortars.” What is the Army’s timeline for establishing
the four new battalions, and where will the battalions be
stationed?
• How many soldiers would be needed for the
establishment of new IFPC units? Given the Army’s
ongoing recruiting difficulties, does the Army anticipate
difficulties in populating the new battalions as well as
existing IFPC units?
• Does the Army plan to establish IFPC units in the Army

Source: https://breakingdefense.com/2023/01/us-army-selects-
National Guard? If so, what is the fielding timeline and
epirus-leonidas-for-high-power-microwave-initiative/.
basing plan for the units?
According to the Army, the IFPC HPM is intended to
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
provide short-range protection for fixed and semi-fixed
IF12421
sites against small UAS (weighing about 55 pounds or less)
swarm attacks. In January 2023, the Army reportedly


https://crsreports.congress.gov

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The U.S. Army’s Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) System


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12421 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED

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