Updated April 29, 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 U.S. 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 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 Army air and missile
The interceptor variant is to utilize an open architecture
defense command and control architecture, the FY2021
design to enable future missile integration. Reportedly,
NDAA (P.L. 116-283) waived the requirement for the final
Increment 2 can employ the AIM-9X Sidewinder missile
two Iron Dome batteries. The decision not to adopt Iron
and the AGM-114L Longbow variant of the Hellfire
Dome reportedly served as the basis for the Army initiating
missile. The Army is also testing the Israeli Tamir missile
the IFPC Increment 2 program.
used by Israel’s Iron Dome system.
https://crsreports.congress.gov

---

The U.S. Army’s Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) System
November 2023 IFPC Program Delay
FY2025 IFPC Budgetary Information
Reportedly, the IFPC Increment 2 program is facing a delay
of at least eight months and possibly a year attributed to
Table 1. FY2025 IFPC Budget Request
“aggressive activity to support fielding in Guam by 2027.”
Total Request
Based on new plans, Initial Operational Test and Evaluation
Funding Category
($M)
(OT&E), originally planned for FY2025, will now begin in
Procurement - IFPC
$657.581
FY2026. Despite the delay, the Army reportedly intends to
Increment 2-1
meet its 2027 Guam fielding deadline.
Quantity - 44
IFPC High Energy Laser (HEL)
RDT&E - IFPC HEL
$31.643
RDT&E - IFPC HPM
$4.031
Figure 2. Notional IFPC High Energy Laser (HEL)
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 =
U.S. dol ars in mil ions.
IFPC HEL Funding Reduction
FY2024 Army budget documents and reports note the
Army plans to cut approximately $4.8 billion from planned

IFPC HEL future spending, which the Army attributed to
Source: Notional IFPC High Energy Laser (HEL):
“changing priorities.” The FY2025 IFPC HEL budget
https://www.army.mil/article/233346/
request is a $327 million reduction compared with the
scaling_up_army_advances_300kw_class_laser_prototype.
Army’s forecast in the FY2024 budge. Future funding is
IFPC HEL is being designed by Dynetics to protect critical
eliminated starting in FY2026, suggesting almost $4.5
fixed- or semi-fixed assets against CMs, UASs, and RAMs
billion is to be redirected to higher-priority needs. While the
using a laser as opposed to interceptor missiles. The Army
Army says it remains committed to HELs, it is reportedly
planned to mount four operational 300 kilowatt (kW)-class
adopting a “buy-try-decide strategy” whereby the Army
“
IFPC HEL prototypes onto tactical vehicles by FY2024. If
purchases a small number of prototypes and conducts
testing proved successful, the Army would transition the
thorough testing before proceeding with additional
IFPC HEL to a Program of Record in FY2025.
investments.”
IFPC High Power Microwave (HPM)
Considerations for Congress
Oversight questions Congress could consider include the
Figure 3. IFPC High Power Microwave (HPM)
following:
• To what extent would IFPC units be expected to protect
the other services’ fixed or semi-fixed sites such as Air
Force air bases, Navy port facilities, or Marine Corps
sites?
• According to a February 2024 white paper, Army Force
Structure Transformation, the Army plans to invest in
four additional IFPC battalions. What is the Army’s
timeline for establishing the four new battalions and
where will the battalions be stationed?

• While the Army has said that the significant reduction in
Source: https://breakingdefense.com/2023/01/us-army-selects-
current and future IFPC HEL funding was attributed to
epirus-leonidas-for-high-power-microwave-initiative/.
“changing priorities,” did IFPC HEL developmental
challenges play a factor in the Army’s decision? If so,
According to the Army, the IFPC HPM is intended to
what are these challenges and does the Army have
provide short-range protection for fixed and semi-fixed
future plans to address them?
sites against small UAS (weighing about 55 pounds or less)
swarm attacks. In January 2023, the Army reportedly
• Does the Army plan to establish IFPC units in the Army
awarded a $66.1 million contract to Epirus to deliver four
National Guard? If so, what is the fielding timeline and
high-powered microwave prototypes to the Army in
basing plan for the units?
FY2024 for testing.
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
IF12421
https://crsreports.congress.gov

---

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


Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12421 · VERSION 4 · UPDATED

---