A close-in weapon system (CIWS), often pronounced sea-whiz, is a naval shipboard point-defense weapon for detecting and destroying at short range incoming anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses. Nearly all classes of modern warship are equipped with some kind of CIWS device.
MK 15 Phalanx CIWS provides ships of the U.S. Navy with an inner layer point defense capability against Anti Ship Missiles (ASM), aircraft, and littoral warfare threats that have penetrated other fleet defenses. Phalanx automatically detects, evaluates, tracks, engages, and performs kill assessment against ASM and high speed aircraft threats.
The current Phalanx variant (Block 1B) adds the ability to counter asymmetric warfare threats through the addition of an integrated, stabilized, Electro Optic sensor. These improvements give Phalanx the added ability to counter small high speed surface craft, aircraft, helicopters, and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).
A Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) fires during a systems test aboard the amphibious assault ship USS ”Kearsarge”
Phalanx is the only deployed close-in weapon system capable of autonomously performing its own search, detect, evaluation, track, engage and kill assessment functions. Phalanx also can be integrated into existing ship combat control systems to provide additional sensor and fire-control support to other installed ship weapon systems.
Guns can only fire at one target at a time; switching targets may take up to one second for training the gun. A gun must predict the target’s course and aim at the predicted position. Modern anti-ship missiles make intentional erratic moves before impact, reducing the probability of being hit by unguided projectiles.
The Phalanx CIWS advanced radar-controlled gun system provides superior defense against close-in air and surface threats.
The Phalanx Close-In Weapon System is a rapid-fire, computer-controlled, radar-guided gun system designed to defeat anti-ship missiles and other close-in air and surface threats. A self-contained package, Phalanx automatically carries out functions usually performed by multiple systems — including search, detection, threat evaluation, tracking, engagement, and kill assessment.
Phalanx Block 1B, the latest upgrade, with its surface mode configuration, augments the proven anti-air warfare capability by adding a forward looking infrared sensor and optimized gun barrels to the Block 1A configuration. It allows Phalanx to be used against littoral warfare threats such as helicopters and high-speed surface threats. Block 1B also adds new control stations with situational awareness that allows operators to visually track and identify targets before engagement.
Contacts and sources:
U.S. Navy
Raytheon Corporation
*This was subed out to "Milcom Systems", Viking Dr. Va Bch, VA. I believe Carl Middleton was my task leader when I wired this sea whiz on the Kearsarge. I miss you Tom Mills, Steve Brophy, John "Hollywood" Hollingsworth, NOB or now, Norfolk Naval Station.
