Phalanx Weapons System

Phalanx Close-In Weapons System

Fast-reaction, rapid-fire 20-millimeter gun system.
Provides US Navy ships with a terminal defense against anti-ship missiles that have penetrated other fleet defenses.
Designed to engage anti-ship cruise missiles and fixed-wing aircraft at short range, Phalanx automatically engages functions usually performed by separate, independent systems such as search, detection, threat evaluation, acquisition, track, firing, target destruction, kill assessment and cease fire.
Primary Function: Anti-ship missile defense.
Weight: 12,500 pounds (5,625 kg) - Later models: 13,600 pounds (6,120 kg).
Range: Classified.
Gun Type: M-61A1 Gatling.
Type 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.