https://crsreports.congress.gov
Updated June 17, 2024
U.S. Army’s Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense
(M-SHORAD) System
Background
The Army is developing a new maneuver short-range air
defense system, or M-SHORAD to perform short-range air
defense, or SHORAD. The Army defines the SHORAD
mission as
[d]edicated air defense artillery (ADA) and non-
dedicated air defense capabilities that enable
movement and maneuver by destroying,
neutralizing, or deterring low altitude air threats to
defend critical fixed and semi-fixed assets and
maneuver forces.
In the early 2000s, the Army divested ADA units from
Army force structure to free up personnel to create other
types of units deemed more mission-critical at the time. The
Army supposedly accepted the risk because it believed the
U.S. Air Force could maintain air superiority. After 2005,
SHORAD force structure was reduced to two battalions of
Active Component Avenger systems and Counter-Rocket,
Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) batteries and seven Army
National Guard Avenger battalions.
Renewed Emphasis on SHORAD
Since 2005, there has been a dramatic increase in air and
missile platforms that could threaten U.S. ground forces.
The use of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) has increased
exponentially and UASs have been used successfully in a
variety of conflicts, including the current Ukrainian
conflict. Given the increase in threat and limited air defense
assets available to Army divisions, the Army decided to
improve the air defense posture of its maneuver forces.
M-SHORAD Requirement
In response to the growing aerial threat, the Army originally
planned to field 144 M-SHORAD Increment 1 systems to
four battalions and could field additional battalions in the
future. Each M-SHORAD battalion would consist of 40 M-
SHORAD systems, support vehicles and equipment, and
about 550 soldiers. In April 2021, the 5
th
Battalion, 4
th
Air
Defense Artillery Regiment received the first four of its M-
SHORAD systems, becoming fully equipped by late 2022.
In addition to the 144 systems designated for operational
units, the Army planned to procure 18 additional systems
for training, operational spares, and testing, for a total of
162 systems. Reportedly, as of June 2024, the Army
envisions building about 312 M-SHORAD systems but that
number could increase to as many as 361 “based on future
Army decisions,” but, at present, the Army only has
approval for 162 systems.
M-SHORAD Variants/Increments
Initially, there were three M-SHORAD variants, or
“Increments,” planned by the Army.
Figure 1. M-SHORAD Increment I
Source: https://www.leonardodrs.com/what-we-do/products-and-
services/m-shorad/.
M-SHORAD Increment 1
M-SHORAD Increment 1 (Figure 1) was developed under
the Other Transaction Authority contracting process. M-
SHORAD uses the M-1126 Stryker combat vehicle as its
chassis. The weapons and radar packages are configured by
Leonardo DRS and then installed on the Stryker by General
Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS), the vehicle’s original
manufacturer. Leonardo DRS reports the multipurpose
unmanned turret includes
• two AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles capable of
hitting ground targets;
• four FIM-92 Stinger missiles for aerial targets in a
launcher (configured by Raytheon);
• an XM914 30 mm automatic cannon;
• an M-240 7.62 mm machine gun; and
• a multi-mission radar capable of tracking both ground
and air targets.
Figure 2. M-SHORAD Increment 2
Source: https://www.army.mil/article/249511/
the_army_rapid_capabilities_and_critical_technologies_offices_direct
ed_energy_maneuver_short_range_air_defense_de_m_shorad_rapid
_prototyping_effort_is_on_track_to_deliver.
