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Gratuitous Gun Pic

By The Armorer on January 13, 2005 | | Comments (15)

One of these would look good on the battlements of the Castle. Mebbe two.

A CIWS - not the Royal Navy sailor servicing it! Something for you sailors, today.

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15 Comments

By cw4billt on January 13, 2005 11:29 AM
I'll send you some (expended) brass and links--you can scatter them 'round the trebouchet and pretend...
 
By Alan on January 13, 2005 12:10 PM
I remember when the Canadian navy's contribution to Gulf War I left Halifax these were on each vessel, we watching from an office tower each had a moment of illogical dread that these guns responded automatically not only to incoming missles but also wharfs of flagwaving schoolkids. Nasty pieces of machinery.
 
By Casey Tompkins on January 13, 2005 12:25 PM
Ahhh... Those old Vulcans still stand the test of time. That rocks. :)
 
By John of Argghhh! on January 13, 2005 1:32 PM
Bill - what makes you think I don't have a belt or two? I just haven't posted a picture...
 
By cw4billt on January 13, 2005 1:48 PM
TP, TP-T or DU?
 
By Ciggy on January 13, 2005 1:52 PM
Beats launching a cow via catapult, I'll wager.
 
By J.M. Heinrichs on January 13, 2005 2:13 PM
Nothing beats a catapult cow! Except APFSDS. Cheers JMH
 
By Sigivald on January 13, 2005 5:54 PM
You can take the CIWS if I can have her. Deal?
 
By John of Argghhh! on January 13, 2005 6:10 PM
Deal, Sigi. I've got a gurl already. I don't have a CIWS!
 
By Myron L. on January 13, 2005 7:04 PM
Did you see in the Inside the Ring a couple of Fridays ago?: Force protection Tuesday's bombing of a mess tent in Iraq that killed 22 U.S. service members, American contractors and Iraqis has focused more attention in the Pentagon on the issue of force protection. In addition to suicide bombers penetrating base security, enemy rocket and mortar attacks continue to be a major threat that the Pentagon is working to counter. Weapons designers have started one crash program that uses the Navy's Mk15 Phalanx Close-In Weapons System, known as the CIWS and pronounced "sea wiz." The gun uses six extreme rapid-fire 20 mm cannons guided by search-and-tracking radar that has been used effectively by ships to guard against anti-ship missile attack. The land-based system uses a fire-finding radar that can detect mortar and rocket launches, allowing the Phalanx gun to lay down a line of fire in the direction of the incoming round. Tests at the White Sands, N.M., testing range have shown that the ground-based CIWS can hit targets up to 50 percent of the time. While not perfect, the new anti-mortar system would provide limited protection from insurgent attacks and may be rushed into service in Iraq.
 
By cw4billt on January 13, 2005 7:46 PM
Better+cheaper: 1. Procure Hughes (ooops) MD-530 with pilot, with ANVIS-6, with GIB (Guy In Back) armed with M-240/M-249. 2. Fly zone recon. 3. Take out weapons, gunners and al-Jazeera camera crews while they're still setting up and fiddling with the makeup and light meter. 4. Return for fuel, ammo and coffee. 5. Repeat as necessary.
 
By Mythilt on January 14, 2005 8:20 AM
(Caption for the picture) "R2, is that a gun in your chasis or are you just happy to see me?"
 
By cw4billt on January 14, 2005 9:03 AM
Mythilt - HA! Good 'un!
 
By Mythilt on January 14, 2005 12:15 PM
Thank you. I really wish we had been allowed to see the CIWS fire when I caught a ride on the Connie from Seattle to San Francisco back in 1997. One of the smarter things the Navy used to do, the Tiger Cruises, family members allowed to ride on the ships for a few days experiencing what the crew experiences. Didn't get to see the CIWS fire, but did get to watch carrier ops, and the escorts gave us a show blowing holes in the water a few miles away. Was much fun.
 
By cw4billt on January 14, 2005 1:01 PM
Mythilt - two short video clips, one with sound, are at http://tri.army.mil/LC/CS/csa/aagatlin.htm#Phalanx if you want to see R2 in action...