The U.S. Army’s Typhon Mid-Range Capability (MRC) System

What Is the Army's Mid-Range Capability (MRC) System?

Improved Chinese and Russian long-ranged artillery systems, new employment techniques for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), 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 fires on U.S. combat operations. In response, the U.S. Army is seeking to improve its ability to deliver what it refers to as long-range precision fires (LRPF) by upgrading current artillery and missile systems, developing new longer-ranged systems and hypersonic weapons, and modifying existing air-and sea-launched missiles for ground launch.

MRC is part of the Army's LRPF modernization portfolio and 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 MRC system leverages existing Raytheon-produced SM-6 missiles and Raytheon-produced Tomahawk cruise missiles and modifies them for ground launch. The MRC system is also known as the "Typhon" missile system (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Typhon Launchers and Battery Operations Center

MRC Weapon System Components

According to the Army, the MRC battery is planned to consist of four launchers and a battery operations center (BOC) (Figure 1). MRC batteries are to be equipped with a number of prime movers, trailers, generators, and support vehicles. Numbers of soldiers assigned to each battery is presently unknown.

MRC Unit Organization

The Army plans to field one MRC battery in the Long-Range Fires Battalion of the Army's five regionally aligned Multi-Domain Task Forces (MDTF) (Figure 2).

Figure 2. MDTF Organization

Source: Army Information Paper provided to CRS, April 10, 2025. Notes: MDEB = Multi-Domain Effects Battalion; HHC = Headquarters and Headquarters Company; MI = Military Intelligence; ERSE = Extended Range Sensing Element; ID = Information Dominance; LRFB = Long-Range Fires Battalion; HHB = Headquarters and Headquarters Battery; LRHW = Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon; MRC = Mid-Range Capability; HIMARS = High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems; FSC = Forward Sustainment Company; IFPC = Integrated Fire Protection Capability; BSB = Brigade Support Battalion.

The Army describes MDTFs as "theater-level maneuver elements designed to synchronize precision effects and precision fires in all domains against adversary anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) networks in all domains, enabling joint forces to execute their operational plans."

Program Status

MRC Test Launches and Full Operational Capability

In June 2023, the Army reported,

The Army's Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office's Mid-Range Capability Project Office successfully demonstrated the launch of a Tomahawk missile from the Army's prototype Mid-Range Capability system. Soldiers assigned to the 1^st MDTF conducted this live-fire event. 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.

MRC Battery Deployed to the Philippines for Exercise Salaknib 2024

According to U.S. Army Pacific, the Joint Base Lewis-McChord's 1^st MDTF deployed an MRC battery to Northern Luzon, Philippines, in April 2024, as part of Exercise Salaknib 24. According to Jane's Defence, the MRC battery deployment was to be temporary for exercise purposes and was to be used during Exercise Salaknib 24 and follow-on Exercise Balikatan 24.

MRC Battery Activations and Fielding

The Army accepted its first MRC battery in December 2022. Reportedly, the Army activated this first MRC battery—D Battery, 5^th Battalion, 3^rd Field Artillery Regiment—as part of Joint Base Lewis-McChord's 1^st MDTF in January 2024. Reportedly, a second Typhon battery has been activated at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA, and this battery is to be assigned to the Hawaii-based 3^rd MDTF later in 2025. It was also reported that

the Army is working to field another three batteries to the remaining multidomain task force units between fiscal [years] 2026 and 2028 and plans to next field a battery to the 2^nd MDTF based in Europe in fiscal [year] 2026.

MRC Typhon Activities in the Philippines

Reportedly in January 2025, the Army moved Typhon launchers from Laoag airfield in the Philippines to another location on the island of Luzon. According to a Philippine government official, "The redeployment would help determine where and how fast the missile battery could be moved to a new firing position." U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) officials reportedly indicated that the United States "has coordinated closely with the Philippine government on every aspect of the MRC deployment, including the location," and further noted "the relocation was not an indication that the batteries would be permanently stationed in the Philippines." In terms of the impact of the Typhon deployment,

The weapon [Typhon] drew sharp criticism from China when it was first deployed in April 2024 during a training exercise. In September, when the United States said it had no immediate plans to pull the Typhons out of the Philippines, China and Russia condemned the deployment as fueling an arms race.

2025 MRC Live Fire Exercises

Reportedly, the Army does not plan to conduct a Typhon live fire exercise during spring 2025 exercises in the Philippines. It was further noted that the

Typhon has remained in the country, angering China, which has criticized the move and warned it could destabilize the region. Officials have yet to fire the missile system in the Philippines. It is unclear how long Typhon will remain in the Philippines or if it will go elsewhere in the Pacific theater.

Reportedly, the Army does plan to conduct a Typhon live fire exercise during the summer as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre in Australia.

Army Considers Marine Corps Long-Range Fires (LRF) System to Complement Typhon System

Reportedly, the Army has expressed interest in the Marines' new uncrewed LRF Tomahawk cruise missile launch vehicle to possibly complement the larger Typhon system. The Army reportedly is examining options to decrease the size of the existing Typhon system to make it "easier to deploy and operate based on lessons learned from its first overseas deployment to the Philippines." The tractor trailer-mounted Typhon has four launch cells, while the LRF has only one launch cell.

Potential Issues for Congress

Stationing Locations for MRC Batteries

According to previously noted reports, the Army has one MRC battery stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA, with another scheduled to be deployed to Germany in FY2026 and a third MRC battery to be assigned to a Hawaii-based MDTF by the end of 2025. The locations of the final two MRC batteries are not known publicly, and Congress might decide to engage with Army leadership regarding the stationing plans for the final two planned MRC batteries.

Potential Deterrence Value of MRC Units

Previously noted reports suggest that China considers the deployment of MRC batteries in the Philippines and the Indo-Pacific as potentially "destabilizing" and that their presence in the region could lead to an "arms race." Given these reactions, it could be argued that MRC units are contributing to deterrence operations in the Indo-Pacific and might also play a similar role in other regions as well. Given this possibility, Congress might decide to engage with the Army, Department of Defense leadership, and Combatant Commanders to discuss how this potential deterrence value can best be utilized in other theaters of operation.