Future Weapon Technology

The Phalanx MK 15 Close-in-Weapon-System
Manufacturer: Raytheon [NYSE: RTN]

Designed to defeat terminal threats to naval assets such as missiles and close in enemy aircraft, the Phalanx MK 15 is the US Navy’s own innovative CIWS (pronounced “sea wizz”) close-in-weapon-system design. A CIWS is an autonomous electronically guided robot 20 mm gatling gun, which can effectively down incoming missiles or aircraft with a hail of highly destructive gunfire. The machine gun locks onto the incoming target using its own sophisticated radar systems, but the Phalanx recieves instructions as to what incoming targets to engage as designated by the Aegis battle management system. The Phalanx CIWS can be found on almost all US Naval warships such as guided missile cruisers, destroyers, and aircraft carriers. Other countries have revealed their own designs for naval CIWS protection systems, such as the Dutch designed Goalkeeper system.

This CIWS Phalanx video shows a ground-based test version firing at incoming targets.