A close-in weapon system (CIWS)[1] is a point-defense weapon system for detecting and destroying short-range incoming missiles and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses, typically mounted on a naval ship. Nearly all classes of larger modern warships are equipped with some kind of CIWS device.
There are two types of CIWS systems. A gun-based CIWS usually consists of a combination of radars, computers, and rapid-firing multiple-barrel rotary cannons placed on a rotating turret. Missile-based CIWSs use either infra-red, passive radar/ESM, or semi-active radar terminal guidance to guide missiles to the targeted enemy aircraft or other threats. In some cases, CIWS are used on land to protect military bases. In this case, the CIWS can also protect the base from shell and rocket fire.
A gun-based CIWS usually consists of a combination of radars, computers and rotary or revolver cannon placed on a rotating, automatically aimed gun mount. Examples of gun-based CIWS products in operation are:
Short range: the maximum effective range of gun systems is about ; systems with lighter projectiles have even shorter range. The expected real-world kill-distance of an incoming anti-ship missile is about 500m (1,600feet) or less, still close enough to cause damage to the ship's sensor or communication arrays, or to wound or kill exposed personnel. Thus some CIWS like Russian Kashtan and Pantsir systems are augmented by installing the close range surface-to-air missiles on the same mounting for increased tactical flexibility.
Limited kill probability: even if the missile is hit and damaged, this may not be enough to destroy it entirely or to alter its course. Even in the case of a direct hit, the missile or fragments from it may still impact the intended target, particularly if the final interception distance is short. This is especially true if the gun fires kinetic-energy-only projectiles.[4]
| DARDO[5] | Goalkeeper | Kashtan[6] | Millennium | Phalanx[7] | Type 730[8] | Gökdeniz[9] [10] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Italy | Netherlands | Russia | Switzerland | United States | China | Turkey | |
| Image | ||||||||
| Weight | 5500kg (12,100lb) | 9902kg (21,830lb) | 15500kg (34,200lb) | 3300kg (7,300lb) | 6200kg (13,700lb) | 9800kg (21,600lb) | ? | |
| Armament | 40mm 2 barreled Bofors 40 mm | 30mm 7 barreled GAU-8 Gatling Gun | 30mm 6 barreled GSh-6-30 rotary auto cannon8 × 9M311K + 32 missiles | 35mm 1 barreled Oerlikon Millennium 35 mm Naval Revolver Gun System | 20mm 6 barreled M61 Vulcan Gatling Gun | 30mm 7 barreled Gatling Gun | 35mm 2 barreled Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon | |
| Rate of fire | 600/900 rounds per minute | 4,200 rounds per minute | 10,000 rounds/min (5,000 per gun)1–2 (salvo) missiles per 3–4 sec | 200/1000 rounds per minute | 4,500 rounds per minute | 5,800 rounds per minute | 1,100 rounds per minute | |
| (effective/ flat-trajectory) Range | 4000m (13,000feet) | 3500m (11,500feet) | Missiles: 1,500–10,000 m (4,900–32,800 ft) Guns: 300–5,000 m (980–16,400 ft) | 3500m (11,500feet) | 2000m (7,000feet) | 3000m (10,000feet) | ATOM 35mm:[11] 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) | |
| Ammunition storage | 736 rounds | 1,190 rounds | 2 x 2,000 rounds | 252 rounds | 1,550 rounds | 640 or 2 x 500 rounds (depending on model) | ? | |
| Muzzle velocity | 1000m (3,000feet) per second | 1109m (3,638feet) per second | 960–1100 m/s (3,150-3,610 ft/s) | 1050m (3,450feet) per second / 1175m (3,855feet) per second | 1100m (3,600feet) per second | 1100m (3,600feet) per second | 1,020 m/s (3,300 ft/s) | |
| Elevation | −13 to +85 degrees | −25 to +85 degrees | ? | −15 to +85 degrees | −25 to +85 degrees | −25 to +85 degrees | ? | |
| Speed in elevation | 60 degrees per second | 100 degrees per second | 50 degrees per second | 70 degrees per second | 115 degrees per second | 100 degrees per second | ? | |
| Traverse | 360 ° | 360 ° | 360 ° | 360 ° | 360 ° | 360 ° | 360 ° | |
| Speed in traverse | 90 degrees per second | 100 degrees per second | 70 degrees per second | 120 degrees per second | 115 degrees per second | 100 degrees per second | ? | |
| In service | ? | 1980 | 1989 | 2003 | 1980 | 2007 | 2019 |
A missile-based CIWS comprises a combination of radars and computers connected to either a rotating, automatically aimed launcher mount or vertical launching system. Examples of missile-based CIWS in operational service are:
CIWS are also used on land in the form of Pantsir and C-RAM.[12] On a smaller scale, active protection systems are used in some tanks (to destroy rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), and several are in development. The Drozd system was deployed on Soviet Naval Infantry tanks in the early 1980s, but later replaced by explosive reactive armour. Other systems that are available or under development are the Russian Arena, Israeli Trophy, American Quick Kill and South African-Swedish LEDS-150.
Laser-based CIWS systems are being researched. In August 2014 an operational prototype was deployed to the Persian Gulf aboard .[13] The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu, TÜBİTAK) is the second organisation after the US to have developed and tested a High Power Laser CIWS prototype System which is intended to be used on the TF-2000 class frigate and on Turkish airborne systems.[14] [15] [16]