USA int the Middle East past 2020

[Tero]

The Houthi situation this month.

The Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CWIS) was deployed by Navy destroyer the USS Gravely Tuesday night against what US officials said was a cruise missile that got as near as 1 mile to the ship – and therefore seconds from impact.

The automated Phalanx system features Gatling guns that can fire up to 4,500 20-millimeter rounds a minute, engaging projectiles or other targets at extremely close range.

“The Phalanx weapon system is a rapid-fire, computer-controlled, radar-guided gun that can defeat anti-ship missiles and other close-in threats on land and at sea,” manufacturer Raytheon says on its website page titled, “Last line of defense.”

US warships have defeated dozens of previous Houthi missile attacks using longer-range defenses, likely the Standard SM-2, Standard SM-6 and Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles, analysts say. Those defensive missiles engage their targets at ranges of 8 miles (about 12 kilometers) or more.

https://news.yahoo.com/houthi-missile-j ... 37193.html

[Strontium Dog]

Our Type 45 destroyers have Phalanx systems installed too. They sometimes berth at the wharf right next to my office, and it always feels quite reassuring when one is there, even though we're not really under any threat here. I would be surprised if a Type 45 let a missile get that near though, its air defence system is better.