As part of the various plans currently being implemented to strengthen Germany’s Armed Forces, Berlin has expressed its interest in advancing negotiations with the United States for the acquisition of the new Typhon missile launch system, which is being integrated and tested by the U.S. Army. This was revealed in recent statements made by Germany’s Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, during a press conference following his meeting with his American counterpart, Pete Hegseth.
Designated as the Strategic Mid-Range Fires System (SMRF), Typhon is one of the most modern missile launch systems currently being evaluated by the U.S. Army. Its development responds to the military’s growing need for enhanced medium- and long-range strike capabilities, as part of a series of efforts aimed at the future introduction of the system known as Dark Eagle—a mobile hypersonic missile launch system developed jointly with the U.S. Navy.
While that development progresses, and in light of the need to bridge the current capability gap, Typhon also presents itself as a medium-range launch system with the particular feature of being capable of firing Tomahawk cruise missiles, as well as long-range SM-6 surface-to-air missiles, which are currently used by U.S. Navy destroyers and cruisers.
Currently, and as part of the system refinement process—aimed at introducing improvements based on operator feedback—Typhon has been deployed in various operational environments, with the activities carried out in the Philippines during 2024 standing out. That deployment required the use of U.S. Air Force transport aircraft, thus highlighting the expeditionary nature of the system.
As a result of these experiences, the U.S. Army, with the goal of refining and facilitating its deployment, is reportedly evaluating together with the Typhon system’s developer alternatives to reduce the size of the launcher (based on the Mk 41 vertical launch system) and its transport platform, currently mounted on an 8×8 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT).
Regarding Germany’s interest, Boris Pistorius himself stated after his meeting with the U.S. Secretary of Defense: “This will allow Germany to significantly increase its own defense capability, as well as its deterrence capacity, just like that of Europe.” He added, referring to the ongoing arrangements, requests, and negotiations: “Technical, logistical, and financial details still need to be clarified,” making it clear that, despite Berlin’s expressed intentions, various understandings between the parties still need to be reached.
Finally, Germany is not the only country that has expressed interest in moving forward with the potential acquisition of the Typhon system for its Armed Forces. As a result of the deployments and demonstrations carried out on its territory, the Philippines has also officially stated its intention to pursue the future acquisition of the new missile launch system, with the aim of increasing its deterrence capabilities against potential conflicts with China.
Nevertheless, as mentioned, although the system is being introduced into the U.S. Army, it remains officially under development, with the goal of implementing improvements and reaching Initial Operational Capability.
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