The U.S. will start deploying long-range fires units to Germany in 2026, according to a joint statement from both the U.S. and German governments released during the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. The long-range fires capabilities will include the SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles and “developmental hypersonic weapons.” The units will be resident in the U.S. Army’s Multidomain Task Force in Germany.
The Army plans to fill out five MDTF units worldwide, with one in Europe and two in the Indo-Pacific theater. The units possess capabilities to operate across land, air, sea, space, and cyberspace, equipped with the Army’s growing capabilities, including long-range precision fires. The Army aims to complete all MDTF units by FY28, according to a document detailing the Army’s recent round of force structure analysis.
The service will consolidate Mid-Range Capability and Long-Range Hypersonic batteries under a LRFB headquarters over the next five years. Long-Range Precision Fires units will include the Precision Strike Missile and the Army Tactical Missile System replacement. The Army’s hypersonic weapon capability has been delayed due to testing troubles but is gearing up for another flight test this summer with the aim to field the first rounds to the first battalion at JBLM in FY25.
