US Army ready to deploy a second TYPHON battery in the Pacific 08/04/2025 | Fabio Di Felice

Col. Michael Rose, the 3rd Multidomain Task Force’s (MDTF) Commander, stated that the unit is preparing to establish its long-range fires battalion within the next year.

The unit is set to deploy a second battery of TYPHON missiles, also known as Midrange Capability missiles, in the Pacific region. This battery will likely come from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, becoming the Army’s second missile system of this type in the region.

The US deployed its first TYPHON missile launcher to the Philippines in 2024 during the joint exercise SALAKNIB, where the 1st MDTF transported it for 8,000 miles (12,874 km), using a C-17 GLOBEMASTER cargo aircraft. The system has remained on the island of Luzon since.

The Lockheed Martin-built system, consisting of a vertical launch system that is based on the Mk-41, uses the Navy’s Raytheon-built Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) and TOMAHAWK missiles, and can strike targets between 500 to 2,000 kilometers. The complete system has a battery operations center, 4 launchers, and auxiliary vehicles such as reloaders and towed power generators. The TYPHON demonstrates the US Army's ability to deploy advanced missile systems to support the defense of regional allies such as the Philippines. The system can be airlifted directly via C-17 from the United States to the region by the Air Force's Airlift Mobility Command (AMC).

The long-range weapon system surpasses the former constraints of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. In 2019, then-President Donald Trump declared that the US was withdrawing from the agreement, enabling the development of the US Army’s Mid-Range Capability launcher.

The TYPHON batteries' deployment confirms the US military's active role in the region's dynamics, particularly concerning China. The system plays a significant strategic role in the US effort to build a network of missile deterrence, and containment, against China's influence.

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