The United States Army conducted a live-firing test with the Mid-Range Capability (Typhon) missile system at the ongoing Talisman Sabre military drills in Australia. This marks the first such test outside of the continental US and the second Typhon deployment in the Indo-Pacific region, after the Philippines.

Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, Australia’s largest-ever military exercise, kicked off on July 15. More than 35,000 military personnel from 19 nations, including the US, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the United Kingdom, are reportedly participating in the drills.

The US Army, in collaboration with its Australian counterpart, conducted a live-fire test with the Typhon in the Northern Territory region. The event marked a major milestone, as it was the first time this long-range, ship-sinking missile system was fired on foreign soil.

Announcing the successful testing, a US Army press release stated that the Typhon belonged to the 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF), demonstrating the system’s operational viability and enhancing US-Australian military interoperability.

The press release emphasized that the live fire confirmed the Army’s ability to forward deploy Long-Range Precision Fires (LRPF) and demonstrated that the 3rd MDTF could execute command and control (C2) of a land-based maritime strike from a combined multi-domain C2 node, in tandem with the Australian Army’s newly developed multi-domain formations.

“The deployment of the MRC and successful execution of an SM-6 live fire against a maritime target is another significant step forward in our ability to deploy, integrate, and command and control advanced land-based maritime strike capabilities,” said Col. Wade Germann, Commander of the 3rd MDTF.  The test is significant as it represents a key attack capability for the US and its allies in the Indo-Pacific amid rising tensions with China. 

Notably, the live firing was conducted just months after the Chinese People’s Liberation Navy (PLAN) stirred tensions in the Indo-Pacific when it conducted live-fire drills near Australia and New Zealand without giving adequate notice to the two states.

At the time, experts noted that these exercises constituted an unprecedented show of force and sounded the bugle for Beijing’s increased willingness and capacity to project power beyond its maritime periphery. Both Australia and New Zealand have been vocal about the security threat faced from Beijing’s rapid incursions in the Pacific.

The firing of Typhon, thus, sends a message of force projection from the US and Australia, besides validating the combat efficacy of the system. Moreover, it is also in line with the US policy of boosting its military presence in the region to counter-balance Beijing’s influence.

That said, this is the second time that the Typhon has been deployed to an Indo-Pacific ally of the United States. Earlier, in April 2024, the US Army deployed its Typhon ground-based missile system in the Philippines to participate in Exercise Balikatan 2024 and Exercise Salaknib 2024.

The system has remained in the Southeast Asian country, much to China’s chagrin, which considers the deployment provocative.

Previous reports indicated that it had been deployed to the island of Luzon, which is separated from Taiwan by the Luzon Strait, a deep channel that connects the South China Sea to the Philippine Sea. China is expected to use the channel in the event of an invasion, which makes the deployment in Luzon (from where it could attack the PLA) significant.

Rankled by a long-range missile sitting in its neighborhood, Beijing has regularly called for the withdrawal of the system from the country, stating that such a move could trigger an arms race in the region.

The live testing of Typhon in Australia may be of keen interest to China, particularly because Manila has been eyeing the permanent deployment and acquisition of the long-range missile system, which has the range to hit Chinese cities or its artificial islands in the South China Sea.

The Australian test, following the Philippines deployment, would likely amplify Beijing’s concerns, especially given the system’s ability to strike targets as far as mainland China’s southeast coast.

There is currently no information on whether China monitored the testing. However, Australian Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy stated on July 15 that Chinese spy ships are likely to monitor the drills, as they have done regularly in the past few years. 

The Typhon Keeps Haunting China

The Typhon Mid-Range Capability (MRC) system is a mobile, ground-launched missile system developed by the U.S. Army, intended to deliver long-range, precise strikes in contested environments.

There are four launchers in a Typhon battery, and each one can carry four missiles simultaneously. This means the missile system can fire a salvo of 16 missiles before it needs to be reloaded.  Interestingly, the launcher is derived from the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS), a design used on several US and allied warships.

The Typhon particularly stands out for its versatility. It can fire two different yet very lethal missiles: SM-6 and Tomahawk cruise missiles. While the SM-6 missiles can successfully combat air and sea threats at ranges of more than 200 kilometers (165 miles), the Tomahawk cruise missiles can reach targets up to 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles).

In a potential conflict between the US and China, the Typhon system would pose a direct threat to China’s anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) strategy by targeting Chinese naval installations and equipment, undermining Beijing’s hold on the region.

However, it is worth noting that Australia has never committed to assisting the US in such a conflict and maintains close trade ties with Beijing, despite the security threats.

The live-fire exercise, conducted in conjunction with the Australian Army’s 10th Brigade, demonstrated enhanced joint command and control capabilities and targeting procedures. This strengthens the US-Australia alliance, a cornerstone of the US Indo-Pacific strategy, and signals a commitment to collective defense in the region.

The Typhon system is a vital component of the US Army’s approved force structure for its Multi-Domain Task Forces (MTDF). One Typhon battery is assigned to the first MDTF in the Pacific, and the other battery is assigned to the third MDTF. The Army is building these formations to address particular military requirements in those regions and to dedicate them to specific theaters.

“There will be five MDTFs in total, and three will be dedicated to the Pacific. The 2nd MDTF is in Europe, and the 5th, which has yet to be formed, will be stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and will be designed for rapid deployment where it is needed,” stated a Defense News report citing the US Army’s Maj. Gen. Frank Lozano, program executive officer for missiles and space.

Even with its cutting-edge features, the system has some weaknesses. This low-density, high-value asset is vulnerable to attacks during large battles due to its existing configuration, which features launchers mounted on trailers. For its operators, mobility and survival are consequently crucial factors.

The US Army has been seeking ways to enhance the technology’s deployability. An MDTF with an Indo-Pacific focus had previously successfully placed the Typhon system onto a rented civilian vessel. This opened the door for amphibious and coastal operations by providing initial confirmation of the system’s suitability for marine transportation.

That said, even with all its vulnerabilities, the system is a force to reckon with and represents a leap in American military capability in the hotly contested Indo-Pacific.