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Originally Posted by HKDan
I agree that CWIS would be nice. I had for some reason been thinking that CWIS had been losing popularity over the past years, Im not seeing them on new DDG IIAs, up until today I hadnt heard of it on LCS either. I always thought of it as being a very useful system. Given that LCS will be operating in areas where it will be relatively easy for someone to get up pretty close, I think a block II CWIS would be a great idea. But thats just my amateur opinion.
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They fell out of favour as well (in the USN at least) because of the comparatively short-range (2km tops) and because at that range, blast damage from the missile might still damage sensor arrays on the warships. RAM was brought in to ensure a kill far enough away to avoid damage (Its still a CIWS though). The Aster 15 is really a point-defence missile (at least on the Type 45) just that the point is much further away than it used to be. (And doubles as a handy short-mid range weapon on other platforms).
Ironically, they have come back into favour (at least with some, like the RN) because of the effectiveness of the Block B phalanx against small surface targets. RAM can kill a small boat - but guns do it much more cheaply...
Personally, I'd rather have all of them... Standard (Aster 30), ESSM(Aster 15), RAM and Phalanx