Phalanx is a last-ditch defense system, good for just one shot in the last closing seconds before a SUBsonic, straight-ahead cruise missile like Exocet strikes a ship. A Phalanx on one ship cannot defend another ship from attack. It is also a very high-speed rotary cannon system with a limited amount of ammo. It must be spun up after the attacking missile is detected but before it strikes and fired during a very narrow window when the missile is within range (at most a few thousand yards: just seconds). It is highly prone to friendly fire incidents, especially in an environment where helicopters or other prop-driven aircraft are operating, so it is really only effective when you have plenty of warning. The fire-control radars used by all weapons systems shine like a flashlight in a dark room, they must be used only sparely and intermittently in order to avoid attracting attention to the ship. Needless to say, it requires highly trained crews and split second judgement under pressure.
Even under ideal conditions, Phalanx would have to be highly modified, or perhaps replaced entirely by another system, to deal with a maneuvering supersonic missile.
If everything works out as expected, Phalanx is excellent protection against Exocet-type weapons, but it should never be forgotten that there have only been two Exocet attacks against Phalanx-equipped ships--and both succeeded. (USS Starke and HMS Sheffield). Nothing works if you don't turn it on first.
Current Events » in reply to Kind of hard to get anything past a phalanx.
Not really
The whole thread (54 posts)
- Naval warfare bulletin
- There are at least two major weak spots in the missile design.
- 3rd weakness
- What about reactive armor?
- Maybe
- No...
- It all depends on how much momentum change is required to detonate the missile.
- You missed my point by a mile. (n/t)
- It all depends on how much momentum change is required to detonate the missile.
- Ultrasonic or microwave emitters might work.
- No...
- Maybe
- What about reactive armor?
- re: There are at least two major weak spots in the missile design.
- Kind of hard to get anything past a phalanx.
- 3rd weakness
- re: Naval warfare bulletin
- We need a World Peace Accord
- There are at least two major weak spots in the missile design.