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| Phalanx CIWS Block 1B | |
|---|---|
| Name | Phalanx CIWS Block 1B |
| Caption | Phalanx CIWS Block 1B aboard a naval vessel |
| Origin | United States |
| Type | Close-in weapon system |
| Service | 1980s–present |
| Used by | See Operators and Global Service |
| Designer | General Dynamics, Raytheon Technologies |
| Manufacturer | Raytheon Technologies |
| Unit cost | Classified / variant-dependent |
| Weight | Platform-dependent |
| Length | System-dependent |
| Cartridge | 20×102mm |
| Caliber | 20 mm |
| Action | Automatic |
| Rate | 4,500 rounds per minute (nominal) |
| Feed | Linkless feed system |
| Traverse | 360° |
| Elevation | -25° to +85° |
Phalanx CIWS Block 1B The Phalanx CIWS Block 1B is a shipboard automated close-in weapon system developed for point defense against anti-ship missiles, aircraft, and surface threats. It evolved from earlier Phalanx models through integration of enhanced sensors, an improved 20 mm gatling gun, and software upgrades to address asymmetric threats and littoral operations. The Block 1B balances rapid-fire kinetic interception with modular upgrades to extend service life across multiple navies.
Development of the Block 1B followed operational lessons from Falklands War, Operation Praying Mantis, and Cold War escort missions that emphasized point-defense automation. Programs managed by United States Navy requirements offices worked with contractors General Dynamics and later Raytheon Technologies to expand capabilities beyond the baseline Block 0 and Block 1 configurations. Design priorities included integration with ship combat systems such as Aegis Combat System, improved detection against sea-skimming threats noted in Gulf War analyses, and enhanced engagement of small surface craft informed by incidents like the Tanker War. Block 1B introduced a new electro-optical sensor suite and optimized ammunition handling to support littoral operations characterized in post-Cold War doctrines.
The Block 1B centers on a hydraulically driven, six-barrel 20×102mm M61 derivative gatling cannon capable of a nominal 4,500 rounds per minute engagement rate. Ammunition types include armor-piercing, high-explosive incendiary, and programmable air-burst munitions adopted in later upgrades to counter small, fast-attack craft studied in Gulf of Aden security operations. Mount and housing provide 360° traverse and elevation from -25° to +85°, enabling engagements of sea-skimming missiles similar to those assessed after Exocet strikes. Power draw, magazine capacity, and weight vary with pedestal and container options tailored to platforms ranging from frigates like Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate to aircraft carriers such as USS Nimitz (CVN-68).
Block 1B added an infrared search and track (IRST) and low-light television (LLTV) sensor turret to complement the original Ku-band radar, drawing on sensor fusion principles used in systems like AWACS and Patriot upgrades. Radar provides rapid acquisition against supersonic threats exemplified by assessments of Sea Skua encounters, while electro-optical sensors improve discrimination in cluttered littoral environments described in Operation Earnest Will analyses. Fire-control algorithms were updated for automated cueing from ship combat systems including AN/SPY-1 and link interfaces used by allied task groups in Operation Enduring Freedom maritime operations. Surface-search enhancements address asymmetric attack profiles highlighted in regional tensions such as the Strait of Hormuz incidents.
Block 1B variants entered service during the 1990s and have been deployed through 21st-century expeditionary operations and coalition task forces. Units served aboard classes like Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, Ticonderoga-class cruiser, and foreign designs such as Type 23 frigate, participating in escort, patrol, and strike-support missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom and anti-piracy patrols off Somalia. Upgrades and software patches followed field reports from multinational exercises including RIMPAC and live-fire trials influenced by interoperability lessons from NATO partners like Royal Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Several mounts and integration packages exist to accommodate carrier, cruiser, destroyer, and expeditionary strike ship requirements, mirroring trends in naval architecture during the Post–Cold War era. Exported versions equip fleets of Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, and other allied navies, often undergoing country-specific modifications analogous to export variants of systems like Harpoon (missile). Incremental variants led to Block 1B Baseline upgrades and retrofit kits that support ashore installations and small-ship adaptations used by littoral combatant programs inspired by Littoral Combat Ship concepts.
Combat evaluations and incidents have shown mixed results depending on threat type and engagement envelope; analyses from engagements of anti-ship missiles like those in the Falklands War informed doctrinal improvements. Upgrades introduced thermal imaging, better tracking software, and improved ammunition to counter swarm and sea-skimming threats identified in studies by Naval War College and defense research agencies. Ongoing programs aim to integrate directed-energy options similar to research at Naval Surface Warfare Center to supplement kinetic rounds, and interoperability patches align Phalanx sensors with networked architectures such as Cooperative Engagement Capability.
The Block 1B and its variants are fielded by numerous navies, including the United States Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Australian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Republic of Korea Navy, Hellenic Navy, Royal Navy, and several NATO and allied maritime forces operating in Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, and Western Pacific theaters. Operator training regimes leverage exercises like BALTOPS and Cobra Gold to validate tactics, techniques, and procedures coordinated with multinational coalitions such as Combined Task Force 151 and other maritime security initiatives.
Category:Naval weapons