Raytheon
delivers second Phalanx Block 1B for Australia's Air Warfare Destroyer
Raytheon Company delivered the second Phalanx Block 1B Close-In Weapon
System for installation on Australia's newest Air Warfare Destroyer,
the Brisbane. A previously awarded direct commercial sale contract calls
for a total of three Phalanx mounts to be delivered to the Royal Australian
Navy. The first mount was delivered in late 2012 for installation aboard
the Hobart. A third system is under construction and will be installed
on the Sydney in 2014.
Phalanx
Close-in Weapon System
(Picture: Raytheon)
"These
Phalanx systems will give the Royal Australian Navy the most advanced
ship self-defense capability available worldwide," said Rick Nelson,
vice president of Raytheon Missile Systems' Naval and Area Mission Defense
product line. "Thanks to recent engineering changes, we have improved
the system's reliability, added capability and greatly improved the
sailor-to-machine interface in order to defeat extended-range air and
surface threats."
HOBART class Air Warfare Destroyer for the Royal Australian Navy
(Video: AWD Alliance)
About
Phalanx
Phalanx is a rapid-fire, computer-controlled radar and 20 mm gun system
that automatically acquires, tracks and destroys enemy threats that
have penetrated all other ship defense systems. More than 890 systems
have been built and deployed in the navies of 25 nations.
"Phalanx provides commanders with the ability to automatically
carry out functions usually performed by separate systems on other
ships," said Nelson. "Whether operating in blue water or
the littorals, Phalanx will autonomously detect, evaluate, track and
engage targets."
War-tested Protection
Extremely high reliability through development, testing and design
improvements.
Target designation for other shipboard weapons.
Autonomous assessments of all threats from detect to destroy.
