// UNMANNED SYSTEMS AND NEXT-GEN WARFARE TERM
Phalanx
Phalanx is a rapid-firing, computer-controlled Gatling gun system used on naval ships for automated, last-ditch defense. It automatically detects and shoots down incoming threats like anti-ship missiles and aircraft at very close range.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
The Phalanx is a radar-guided Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) manufactured by Raytheon, featuring a 20mm M61 Vulcan Gatling gun for terminal defense. This autonomous system is deployed on naval vessels to neutralize anti-ship missiles (ASMs) and other aerial threats, with a land-based variant known as C-RAM.
BACKGROUND
The Phalanx CIWS is an automated gun-based "Close-In Weapon System" to defend military watercraft automatically against incoming threats such as aircraft, missiles, and small boats. It was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division, later a part of Raytheon. Consisting of a radar-guided 20 mm (0.8 in) Vulcan cannon mounted on a swiveling base, the Phalanx has been used by the United States Navy and the naval forces of 15 other countries. The U.S. Navy deploys it on every class of surface combat ship, except the Zumwalt-class destroyer and San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock. Other users include the British Royal Navy, the Royal Australian Navy, the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- CIWS
- Sea Whiz
- R2-D2
- Vulcan Phalanx
- close-in weapon system
- C-RAM
USAGE NOTE
While Phalanx is a specific product name, it's often used colloquially to refer to any naval CIWS.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Phalanx.
The original developer and manufacturer of the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), a rapid-fire, radar-guided gun system designed for defending ships against anti-ship missiles and other close-in threats.
Manufacturer of the M61 Vulcan, the 20mm Gatling-style rotary cannon that serves as the core armament of the Phalanx CIWS.
Develops the SeaRAM Anti-Ship Missile Defense System, which combines the sensor systems of the Phalanx with an 11-round Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launcher, creating a next-generation CIWS.
A European defense multinational that developed and manufactured the Goalkeeper CIWS, a major competitor to the Phalanx system that utilizes a 30mm GAU-8/A Avenger cannon.
A major defense contractor involved in the integration, support, and modernization of naval combat systems, including providing upgrades and maintenance for CIWS platforms on warships globally.
A Turkish defense corporation that develops and produces the GOKDENIZ, a naval close-in weapon system that serves a similar role to the Phalanx for air and missile defense.
A German arms manufacturer that produces the Oerlikon Millennium Gun, a 35mm naval gun system used as a close-in weapon system for defense against anti-ship missiles, aircraft, and small surface targets.