The US program dedicated to developing autonomous launch systems for various munitions—known by the acronym CAML—is set to expand with the addition of a third, lighter variant. This initiative, conducted in partnership with the Australian military, aims to accelerate combat capabilities within an agile and air-transportable framework.
Preparations for this new phase are well underway, with a Request for Information (RFI) scheduled for release in the near future. Early selections for the development of the „light” variant are expected between March and April next year, with the possibility of a live-fire demonstration scheduled for the following summer.
From weight to agility: The lesson of the Typhon system
The CAML program emerged as a replacement for the current Mid-Range Capability (MRC) system, known as Typhon. Operational assessments revealed that Typhon is too large to be effectively operated on a modern, dynamic battlefield.
The new launchers are designed to be autonomous, capable of operating with or without human crew, highly mobile, and, crucially, air-transportable. These features make them well-suited for combat scenarios where rapid deployment is decisive.
A diversification strategy to avoid bottlenecks
A fundamental component of the current strategy is avoiding dependence on a single manufacturer. Rather than conducting a competition that results in selecting just one vendor—which would create critical choke points in the supply chain and manufacturing constraints—program leadership aims to contract multiple companies.
This approach is being applied to all launcher variants (light, medium, and heavy), with the goal of ensuring the availability of a diverse range of munitions and technological solutions for every mission requirement. While the medium variant already has a lead weapons system integrator in place, the development of the heavy variant is projected for the 2028-2029 timeframe.
The ultimate goal is to reduce logistical complexity: moving away from a model where every missile requires its own unique launcher and instead consolidating toward a versatile system capable of rapidly responding to evolving tactical needs.
