Phalanx CIWS shooting down a drone - GIF

**Altair** · Jan 8, 2020, 06:07 AM

Phalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS) shooting down a drone.

Previously:

drone takedown tools: beam guns and eagles
Gatling gun made from SKSs - GIF and video
Bomarc surface-to-air missile intercept - GIF
Patriot PAC-3 TBM intercept - GIF

**mklotz** · Jan 8, 2020, 08:33 AM

If only the fleet had had a few score of those at Okinawa.

**hemmjo** · Jan 8, 2020, 05:53 PM

At that rate of fire, that thing sure does burn through some ammo. I wonder if that whole big chamber above the "business" end holds ammo? Or if that is the electronics and control systems.

**suther51** · Jan 8, 2020, 07:24 PM

Look at the drum under the barrel, lower "window" shows belted ammo buzzing past. The dome on top is likely fire control radar of some sort.

**Big Sexy** · Jan 8, 2020, 07:25 PM

Bullets are still way cheaper than any type of missiles.

**mklotz** · Jan 9, 2020, 08:45 AM

Yes, the dome houses the radar and fire control system.

I've been told that it works so well because the radar tracks not only the target but also the bullets in flight to said target. This makes fire control a lot easier and more accurate. All the system has to do is maneuver to bring the two radar images into coincidence. That's much easier than trying to predict the flight of the target and generate the required "lead" for firing a projectile sitting in the chamber.