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The Army's Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF)


T         nfcance ofte Mu t -Doain
Task   Force   (MDTF)
Congress has expressed concern about the threat to U.S.
national security posed by Russia and China. The Army
believes to address this threat, it must be able to operate in a
multi-domain (air, land, water, space, cyber, information)
environment, requiring new operational concepts,
technologies, weapons, and units. The Multi-Domain Task
Force (MDTF)  is the Army's self-described organizational
centerpiece of this effort.
   hatsa Mul -         ormain   Task   Force?
The Army's Chief of Staff Paper #1: Army Multi-Domain
Transformation Ready to Win in Competition and Conflict
dated March 16, 2021, describes the Multi-Domain Task
Force (MDTF)  as theater-level maneuver elements
designed to synchronize precision effects and precision
fires in all domains against adversary anti-access/area
denial (A2/AD) networks in all domains, enabling joint
forces to execute their operational plan (OPLAN)-directed
roles.

  What   Is Anti-Access/Area Denial  (A2IAD)?
  Anti-Access is any action, activity, or capability
  designed to prevent an advancing military force from
  entering an operational area. Area Denial is any
  action, activity, or capability designed to limit an
  adversarial force's freedom of action within an
  operational area. Threat A2/AD defenses are
  composed  of layered and integrated long-range
  precision-strike systems, littoral anti-ship capabilities,
  air defenses, and long-range artillery and rocket
  systems.

Updated MDTF Or an zat on
The diagram at Figure 1 depicts a generic MDTF.
Figure I. Generic MDTF


      MDTF







         FPC        D1se c C

           NT        M  T
5 i


FsC


Updated December  17, 2025


Notes: MDEB  = Multi-Domain Effects Battalion; HHC =
Headquarters and Headquarters Company; MI = Military Intelligence;
ERSE = Extended Range Sensing Element; ID= Information
Dominance; LRFB = Long-Range Fires Battalion; HHB =
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery; LRHW = Long-Range
Hypersonic Weapon; MRC =Mid-Range Capability (also referred to
by the Army as Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF)); HIMARS = High
Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems; FSC = Forward Sustainment
Company; IFPC = Integrated Fire Protection Capability; BSB =
Brigade Support Battalion.
The Army  notes each MDTF is to be tailored to Combatant
Commander  requirements, so it is possible the generic
MDTF   in Figure 1 may contain more, fewer, or other types
of units depending on the requirements of its assigned
theater of operations.
Army Plans for MDTF Developrent
The Army  originally planned to build five MDTFs: two
aligned to the Indo-Pacific region; one aligned to Europe;
one stationed in the Arctic region and oriented on multiple
threats; and a fifth MDTF aligned for global response.

It MDTF
The 1t MDTF  is headquartered at Joint Base Lewis-
McChord,  WA  and aligned to the U.S. Army Pacific. Since
its 2017 activation, it has participated in a variety of
exercises. In February 2023, the 1st MDTF's long-range
fires battalion, 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment,
deployed a LRHW  system over 3,100 miles from Joint Base
Lewis-McChord  to Cape Canaveral, FL, during
Thunderbolt Strike, a full rehearsal of expeditionary
hypersonic launch capabilities.

2nd MDTF
On April 13, 2021, the Army announced it would station its
2nd MDTF  in Germany. The Germany-based MDTF  is to
support U.S. Army Europe and Africa. On September 16,
2021, the Army activated the 2nd MDTF at Clay Kaserne in
Wiesbaden, initially consisting of a headquarters element;
an intelligence, cyberspace, electronic warfare, and space
detachment; and a brigade support company.

Sp it Stationing of the 2nd MDTF  at Fort Drum,  NY
On December  13, 2023, Senator Charles Schumer and
Representative Elise Stefanik announced in 2025 Fort
Drum, NY,  would become the home of 1,495 soldiers and
personnel from the 2nd MDTF's Long-Range Fires Battalion
(LRFB), Brigade Support Battalion (BSB), and Air Defense
Battalion. The 2nd MDTF's Headquarters and Effects
Battalions, activated in 2021, would remain in Germany.

3rd MDTF
The Army  activated the 3rd MDTF at Schofield Barracks,
Hawaii, in September 2022. The 3rd MDTF is to support the
U.S. Army Pacific as a component of U.S. Indo-Pacific


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Source: Army Information Paper provided to CRS, April 10, 2025.