During the Valiant Shield 2026 exercise, U.S. Navy sailors installed the Medium‑Range Intercept Capability (MRIC) system on Guam for the first time. The MRIC, derived from Israel’s Iron Dome technology, uses a mobile launcher equipped with 20 SkyHunter missiles—an American‑made version of the Tamir seeker—capable of engaging rockets, drones, cruise missiles and other aerial threats at ranges of 4 to 70 kilometres.
The system integrates with the G/ATOR radar and U.S. Navy command and control, allowing simultaneous tracking and engagement of multiple targets from different directions. Navy officials plan to operate MRIC across all three of their air‑defence zones between 2026 and 2028.
Deploying MRIC in Guam is part of the United States’ effort to strengthen its strategic bases in the Pacific against potential cruise‑missile, drone and multi‑vector attacks from China.