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Army unit fires Typhon missile system for first time in California

Business Insider reports that soldiers from a unit assigned to a European command fired the Typhon system in a recent California test that followed five weeks of training.

The short version

  • Soldiers assigned to a European command fired the Typhon missile system for the first time in a California test.[Business Insider]
  • The mobile system can launch Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 missiles, and the Army has already deployed it to the Pacific.[Business Insider]
  • Troops trained for five weeks before the test at China Lake, which was the third continental US firing of Typhon.[Business Insider]
  • Reporting does not say whether Typhon will be fielded in Europe or on what timeline.[Business Insider]

Key facts

  • Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, within Multi-Domain Command - Europe, carried out the test.[Business Insider]
  • The test took place at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California last month.[Business Insider]
  • The mobile Typhon system can launch Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 missiles.[Business Insider]
  • The test was the third time Typhon has been fired in the continental United States.[Business Insider]
  • Troops went through five weeks of training to learn how to operate and maintain the system.[Business Insider]
  • Typhon was first deployed overseas in April 2024 in the Philippines during a joint exercise between Manila and Washington.[Business Insider]
  • The Army has already deployed Typhon to the Pacific, where it has drawn criticism from China.[Business Insider]

What remains uncertain

  • Business Insider is the only outlet reporting this event, so the details have not been independently confirmed by other news organizations.[Business Insider]
  • The reporting does not establish a timeline or formal decision for fielding Typhon with units in Europe.[Business Insider]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.