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Updated April 16, 2024
The U.S. Army’s Typhon Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF)
System
What Is the Army’s Strategic Mid-Range
have. SMRF batteries are to be equipped with a number of
Fires (SMRF) System?
prime movers, trailers, generators, and support vehicles.
Reported improvements to Russian and Chinese artillery
Numbers of soldiers assigned to each battery is presently
systems present a challenge to the U.S. Army. Improved
unknown. The Army originally planned for the first
longer-ranged artillery systems, new employment
prototype SMRF battery to be fielded no later than the
techniques for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and the
fourth quarter of FY2023 and three additional batteries
proliferation of special munitions (such as precision,
were to be fielded on an annual basis thereafter. It is not
thermobaric, loitering, and top-attack munitions) have
clear at this time if the Army will field more than four
renewed concerns about the potential impact of Russian and
SMRF batteries or if any of the batteries will be Army
Chinese fires on U.S. combat operations and ground combat
National Guard units.
systems. In response, the U.S. Army is seeking to improve
its ability to deliver what it refers to as long-range precision
SMRF Unit Organization
fires (LRPF) by upgrading current artillery and missile
The Army plans to field one SMRF battery in the Strategic
systems, developing new longer-ranged systems and
Fires Battalion of the Army’s regionally aligned Multi-
hypersonic weapons, and modifying existing air- and sea-
Domain Task Force (MDTF) (Figure 2).
launched missiles for ground launch.
Figure 2. Army Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF)
Originally known as the Mid-Range Capabilities (MRC)
Organization
System, SMRF is part of the Army’s LRPF modernization
portfolio. It is intended to hit targets at ranges between the
Army’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) and the
developmental Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
system. The SMRF Weapon System leverages existing
Raytheon-produced SM-6 missiles and Raytheon-produced
Tomahawk cruise missiles and modifies them for ground
launch. The SMRF system is also known as the “Typhon”
missile system (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Typhon Launchers and Battery
Operations Center
Source: Chief of Staff Paper #1 Army Multi-Domain Transformation
Ready to Win in Competition and Conflict, March 16, 2021, p. 12.
Note: MRC Battery depicted above is now known as the SMRF
Battery.
The Army describes MDTFs as “theater-level maneuver
elements designed to synchronize precision effects and
precision fires in all domains against adversary anti-
Source: The Drive: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/army-
access/area denial (A2/AD) networks in all domains,
fires-tomahawk-missile-from-its-new-typhon-battery-in-major-
milestone, accessed July 6, 2023.
enabling joint forces to execute their operational plan
(OPLAN)-directed roles.”
SMRF Weapon System Components
According to the Army, the prototype SMRF battery is
planned to consist of four launchers and a battery
operations center (BOC) (Figure 1). Reportedly, a decision
has not been made on how many missiles each battery will
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The U.S. Army’s Typhon Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) System
FY2025 SMRF Budgetary Information
What Is Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD)?
Anti-Access (A2) is an action, activity, or capability, usually
Table 1. FY2025 SMRF Budget Request
long-range, designed to prevent an advancing enemy force
Funding
Total Request
Total Request
from entering an operational area.
Category
($ Million)
(Qty.)
Area Denial (AD) is an action, activity, or capability, usually
RDT&E
$183
—
short-range, designed to limit an enemy force’s freedom of
Procurement
$233
—
action within an operational area.
Source: Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and
Source: Department of Defense Dictionary of Military
Comptrol er), FY2025 President’s Budget Highlights, March 2024. p. 33.
and Associated Terms, November 2021.
Notes: RDT&E = Research, Development, Test & Evaluation;
Qty. = FY2025 procurement quantities.
Program Status
According to the Army’s FY2025 President’s Budget
Reportedly, Lockheed Martin delivered the first of four
Highlights,
prototype Typhon systems to the Army on December 2,
2022. The Army originally planned to field its first
Base funding also allows for purchasing and
prototype SMRF battery no later than the fourth quarter of
receiving hardware and materials to implement
FY2023.
prototype fabrication, and to support component-
level and system-level qualification, adding
SMRF Test Launches and Full Operational
additional capabilities to the batteries. Procures
Capability
thirty-two Tactical Tomahawks (TACTOMs) and
On June 27, 2023, the Army reported
MK14 cannisters It also supports the procurement
of a MRC Battery, Ground Support Equipment to
The Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical
include one Battery Operations Center (BOC), four
Technologies Office’s Mid-Range Capability
launcher Payload Deployment Systems (PDS), one
Project Office successfully demonstrated the launch
Reload Capability, and one BOC Support Vehicle,
of a Tomahawk missile from the Army’s prototype
[and]
associated
Government
Furnished
Mid-Range Capability system. Soldiers assigned to
Equipment, and program management costs.
the 1st MDTF conducted this live-fire event. This
test follows the successful launch of an SM-6
Potential Issues for Congress
missile from the Mid-Range Capability system
Planned SMRF Units
earlier this year, confirming the full operational
capability of the system.
The Army’s original plans called for fielding four SMRF
batteries. The Army, however, plans for five MDTFs, with
Plans to Deploy SMRF in 2024
each MDTF having one organic SMRF battery. Reports
Reportedly, in November 2023, U.S. Army Pacific
suggest the 1st MDTF now has two SMRF batteries instead
Commander General Charles Flynn noted
of one. The Army has reportedly stated that while “each
[MDTF] is supposed to have one battery,” that “MDTFs
can be adjusted to their combatant commander’s
We have tested [Typhon] and we have a battery or
requirements with more or fewer units.” If this is the case, it
two of them today. In 2024, we intend to deploy that
suggests the Army may eventually field more than the four
system in the region. I’m not going to say where and
originally planned SMRF batteries. Congress might seek
when, but I will just say that we will deploy them in
clarification on the Army’s current plans for total number
the region.
of SMRF batteries, including if any batteries will be fielded
SMRF Battery Deployed to the Philippines for
in the Army National Guard.
Exercise Salaknib 2024
Overseas Stationing of SMRF Units
According to U.S. Army Pacific, the Joint Base Lewis-
McChord’s 1st MDTF deployed a SMRF battery to
As previously noted, the Army reportedly planned to
Northern Luzon, Philippines, on April 11, 2024, as part of
deploy SMRF in 2024 in support of U.S. Army Pacific at
Exercise Salaknib 24. Reportedly, the deployment of the
undisclosed locations in the Pacific region. In April 2024, a
SMRF battery is temporary for exercise purposes, and it is
SMRF battery was temporarily deployed to the Philippines
to be used during Exercise Salaknib 24 and the upcoming
for exercises. It is not known if this temporary deployment
Exercise Balikatan 24.
could eventually be made permanent. It is possible that
SMRF units may be stationed elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific
SMRF Battery Activation
region or at other overseas locations. Given the importance
and issues that often affect securing overseas basing,
Reportedly, the Army activated its second SMRF battery—
Congress might examine ongoing efforts to secure Army
D Battery, 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment—as
long-range precision fires unit basing in the Indo-Pacific
part of Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s 1st MDTF in January
region and other overseas regions.
2024. The article notes that “while no statement can be
found on the creation of the first battery,” it is assumed that
“the second battery activated was part of the Army’s 1st
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
Long-Range Fires Battalion, implying that that the 1st
IF12135
MDTF now has at least two Typhon batteries.”
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The U.S. Army’s Typhon Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF) System
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12135 · VERSION 20 · UPDATED