U.S. Army Successfully Test-Fires SM-6 Missile from Typhon Launcher in Australia
U.S. Army’s new Typhon mobile missile system fired a Standard Missile-6 during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 in Australia. The U.S. Army’s 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force (3MDTF) successfully conducted the first live fire of its new Mid-Range Capability (MRC) mobile land-attack missile system (Typhon) outside the continental United States on 16 July. The launch took place at Australia’s Bradshaw Training Area in the Northern Territory (about 370 miles south of Darwin). A ground-launched Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) hit and sank a designated target at sea. The Army said the successful test confirmed the Typhon system’s operational capability and marked a historic demonstration of joint targeting and command-and-control integration with Australian forces. The news of the test came a week after Germany expressed interest in procuring the Typhon system.
Officially known as the Typhon Weapon System, the MRC launcher can deploy both SM-6 and Tomahawk cruise missiles. Lockheed Martin developed it as part of the Army’s Long-Range Precision Fires modernization effort. It was designed to bridge the gap between shorter-range rocket artillery and long-range hypersonic missiles. The scalable, quickly deployable launcher can extend the Army’s strike range to roughly 500–1,800 kilometers, depending on the missile selected. In the Australian test, the focus was on maritime interdiction using the SM-6, demonstrating Typhon’s versatility in targeting both land and sea threats.
U.S. Army officials noted that the live-fire validated new command-and-control procedures and coalition targeting protocols. Col. Wade Germann, commander of the 3MDTF, called the MRC deployment and launch “another significant step forward in our ability to deploy, integrate, and command and control advanced land-based maritime strike capabilities.” The Army’s statement described the event as a historic demonstration of combined targeting and joint C2 interoperability between U.S. and Australian forces.
The Typhon test sends a clear deterrent signal in the Indo-Pacific. Land commanders can now threaten hostile ships by putting a navy-grade missile on a truck without relying on a nearby warship. The success of the Australian launch extends beyond merely proving the concept technically. It demonstrates how U.S. and allied land forces can be seamlessly integrated into the maritime kill chain, thereby shifting the regional balance of power.