General CharacteristicsPrimary Function: Anti-ship missile defense
Weight: 12,400 pounds (5,500 kg); Later models: 13,500 pounds (6,100 kg)
Range: approx. 1 mile
Gun Type: M-61A1 Gatling
Rate of Fire: 3,000 rounds per minute; Later models: 4,500 rounds/min (starting 1988 production, Pneumatic Gun Drive)
Magazine Capacity: 989 rounds; Later models: 1,550 rounds
Caliber: 20mm
Ammunition: Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS), Depleted Uranium sub-caliber penetrator. Penetrator changed to Tungsten 1988.
Sensors: Self-contained search and track radar
Cost: $5.6 million
Date Deployed: 1980 (aboard USS America (CV 66))
Block 1: 1988 (aboard USS Wisconsin (BB 64))
Block 1B: September 2000 (aboard USS Taylor (FFG 50))
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The Mk-15 Phalanx CIWS is a fast-reaction, rapid-fire 20mm gun system for short range defense against aircraft or missiles. Each mount consists of three main parts: the white "head" containing the track radar, the gun (six barrels) and below the gun there is the magazin. The gun is able to fire more than 3,000 rounds per minute. These bullets are made of uranium(or Tungsten which is non-radioactive and much harder than steel.).
The Phalanx' track radar consists of two radar screens which track the flight path of the incoming missile and also of the own bullets. In the beginning, the track radar was designated Mk-90 but that was changed a couple of years ago and the track radar is now just designated 'Phalanx radar'.
The basis of the system is a 20 mm M61 Vulcan Gatling-type rotary cannon linked to a radar system for acquiring and tracking targets. The gun fires at a variable 4,500–7,000 rounds per minute (hydraulic models only fired 3,000 rounds per minute): it is mounted in a self-contained turret along with an automated fire control system. The system automatically searches, detects, tracks, engages and confirms kills using its computer-controlled radar system. Because it is self-contained, Phalanx is ideal for support ships which lack integrated targeting systems and generally have limited sensors.
Also known as the "Goal Keeper" System, Phalanx has been developed through a number of different configurations. The basic style is the Block 0. The Block 1 (1988) offers various improvements in radar, ammunition, rate of fire, increasing engagement elevation to +70 degrees, and computing. These improvements were intended to increase the system's capability against emerging Soviet supersonic anti-ship missiles. Block 1A introduced a new computer system to counter more maneuverable targets. The Block 1B PSuM (Phalanx Surface Mode, 1999) adds a forward looking infrared (FLIR) sensor to allow the weapon to be used against surface targets. This addition was developed to provide ship defense against small vessel threats and other "floaters" in littoral waters and to improve the weapon's performance against slower low-flying aircraft. The FLIR's capability is also of use against low-observability missiles and can be linked with the Rolling Airframe Missile system to increase RAM engagement range and accuracy. The Block 1B also allows for human intervention to identify and target threats.
