U.S. Army Long-Range Precision Fires: Background and Issues for Congress
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U.S. Army Long-Range Precision Fires: Background and Issues for Congress March 16, 2021 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R46721 SUMMARY R46721 U.S. Army Long-Range Precision Fires: March 16, 2021 Background and Issues for Congress Andrew Feickert Improvements to potential adversaries’ artillery systems present a challenge to the U.S. military, Specialist in Military the Army in particular. In addition to the challenge of improved artillery system capabilities and Ground Forces new employment techniques, the proliferation of special munitions—such as precision, thermobaric, and top-attack munitions—has renewed concerns about the potential impact of enemy cannon and rocket artillery on U.S. combat operations and ground combat systems. In response to this challenge, the U.S. Army is seeking to improve its ability to deliver what it refers to as long-range precision fires (LRPF) by upgrading current artillery and missile systems, developing new longer-range cannons and hypersonic weapons, and modifying existing air- and sea-launched missiles and cruise missiles for ground launch by Army units. Both the 2018 National Defense Strategy and the Army’s Multi-Domain Operations operational concept call for improved Army LRPF capability to counter what has been described as Russian and Chinese anti-access, area denial (A2/AD) strategies designed to limit the freedom of movement and action of U.S. forces in both Europe and the Pacific region. The Army has five major programs or efforts underway or under consideration to improve long-range precision fires capabilities: The Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) program plans to develop a system capable of accurately firing at targets more than 70 kilometers away, an improvement over the 30-kilometer target distance of current systems. The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) is a surface-to-surface, all weather, precision-strike guided missile fired from the M270A1 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). PrSM is intended to replace current MLRS and HIMARS missiles and doubles the current rate-of-fire, with two missiles per launch pod. The Army is examining the feasibility of developing a Strategic Long-Range Cannon (SLRC) that can fire a projectile at hypersonic speeds up to 1,000 miles to engage air defense, artillery, and missile systems and command and control targets. The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Missile Defense Agency (MDA) are developing a Common- Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB), which the Army plans to use as part of its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) program, enabling the C-HGB to be launched from mobile Army ground missile launchers. Finally, the Army is attempting to modify existing Navy SM-6 and UGM-109 Land Attack Missiles for ground launch to provide the Army with a mid-range missile capability. In its oversight, authorization, and appropriations roles, Congress might further study the Army’s LRPF program, given potential resource constraints and the importance the Army places on LRPF. Potential issues for Congress include justification for strategic cannons, hypersonics, and mid-range battlefield missiles; estimated LRPF total costs; LRPF and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Investment Plan for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI); force structure requirements; LRPF in the Reserve Components; other Services’ views on Army LRPF; and commanding and controlling and targeting long-range fires. Congressional Research Service U.S. Army Long-Range Precision Fires: Background and Issues for Congress Contents Why Is This Issue Important to Congress? .......................................................................... 1 Background.................................................................................................................... 1 Perceived Need for Army Long-Range Precision Fires .................................................... 1 Long-Range Precision Fires and the National Defense Strategy (NDS) and Multi- Domain Operations (MDO) ...................................................................................... 2 National Defense Strategy ..................................................................................... 2 Multi-Domain Operations ...................................................................................... 3 Post-Cold War History of Army Artillery....................................................................... 3 Attempts to Modernize Army Combat Systems .............................................................. 4 International Agreements Governing Munitions and Battlefield Missile Range.................... 5 United Nations (UN) Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) ................................... 5 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty ...................................................... 6 Current Army Artillery Force Structure and Systems ............................................................ 7 Current Army Artillery Force Structure ......................................................................... 7 Current Artillery Systems in Combat ............................................................................ 7 Select Long-Range Precision Fires Modernization Programs ............................................... 13 Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) .................................................................. 14 Description........................................................................................................ 14 Program Summary.............................................................................................. 15 Program Developments ....................................................................................... 16 Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) ................................................................................. 16 Description........................................................................................................ 17 Program Summary.............................................................................................. 17 Program Developments ....................................................................................... 17 Strategic Long Range Cannon (SLRC)........................................................................ 18 Description........................................................................................................ 18 Program Summary.............................................................................................. 18 Program Developments ....................................................................................... 19 Army Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) ......................................................... 20 Description........................................................................................................ 20 Program Summary.............................................................................................. 20 Program Developments ....................................................................................... 21 Other Army Missile Efforts ....................................................................................... 21 Congressional Concern with LRPF Programs............................................................... 22 Potential Issues for Congress .......................................................................................... 24 Justification for Strategic Cannons, Hypersonics, and Mid-Range Battlefield Missiles ....... 24 Estimated LRPF Total Costs...................................................................................... 26 LRPF and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Investment Plan for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative .............................................................................................. 27 Force Structure Requirements.................................................................................... 28 LRPF in the Reserve Components .............................................................................. 29 Other Services’ Views on Army LRPF ........................................................................ 29 Commanding and Controlling and Targeting Long-Range Fires ...................................... 31 Congressional Research Service U.S. Army Long-Range Precision Fires: Background and Issues for Congress Figures Figure 1. M-119 105 mm Towed Howitzer .......................................................................... 9 Figure 2. M-777 155 mm Towed Howitzer .......................................................................... 9 Figure 3. M-109A6 Paladin 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer .............................................. 10 Figure 4. M-109A7 Paladin 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer .............................................. 11 Figure 5. M270A1 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS)............................................... 12 Figure 6. M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS)...................................... 13 Figure 7. Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) .......................................................... 14 Figure 8. Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) ......................................................................... 16 Figure 9. Artist Depiction of an Army LRHW Unit............................................................. 20 Figure 10. SM-6 Multi-Purpose Missile ............................................................................ 23 Figure 11. UGM-109