rickusn

Anybody know more on this?:

U.S. Navy Completes Initial Testing of Lockheed Martin Naval Gun
Tuesday May 3, 8:01 am ET


AKRON, Ohio, May 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The U.S. Navy recently completed initial testing of Lockheed Martin's (NYSE: LMT - News) Millennium Gun as part of its effort to validate and qualify new naval cannon technology for fleet self protection.
The gun's capabilities -- including its high rate of fire and air-bursting Advanced Hit Efficiency And Destruction (AHEAD) ammunition - were evaluated during two weeks of testing. The Millennium Gun is a multi-mission, close-in weapon system capable of engaging multiple fast-attack surface craft and near- shore land targets in littoral and riverine waters, as well as defending against anti-ship missiles and aircraft.

The U.S. Navy-funded ground testing familiarized Navy personnel on the system and validated the AHEAD lethality at various target ranges. Lockheed Martin supplied the gun system and technical assistance for this testing. The gun system will continue testing and qualifications next year with at-sea tests that will validate the system's capability against multiple targets in various sea states.

"The U.S. Navy recognizes that force protection against multiple small craft and unmanned air vehicle threats is an essential mission capability in the modern asymmetric warfare environment," said John Wojnar, director of Business Development for Lockheed Martin's Akron facility. "These test results will prove that the high rate of fire combined with accurately fused airbursting ammunition provides the needed capability for ship self protection. The Millennium Gun is an effective inner-layer defense that extends ship self-protection to ranges greater than any other close-in weapon system."

The Millennium Gun fires 35-mm ammunition, including the AHEAD round, at 1,000 rounds per minute. Each AHEAD dispenses 152 subprojectiles that form a cone-shaped pattern to destroy a target's control surfaces, seeker and other vital components as it moves through this lethal cloud. The Millennium Gun is equipped with a low-cost, unmanned, remotely controlled gun mount and is compatible with modern and legacy sensor and fire control systems. Designed as a modular system without through-deck penetration, the Millennium Gun can be fitted on a number of ship classes, and is especially well suited for smaller combatant and patrol ships.

Lockheed Martin is the U.S. licensee to Oerlikon Contraves for sale and manufacture of the gun systems. Oerlikon Contraves is part of Rheinmetall DeTec, an established military products company. It specializes in land and naval air defense systems and medium-caliber guns and ammunition. It has delivered over 3,000 gun systems and more than 35 countries now use its products.

Anon

It's a 35mm autocannon, like a 1000rpm ROF.

Longer range than Phalanxes 20mm, and much greater KE on impact.

Personally, i think the USN should just adapt the Phalanx gear to a 30mm GAU-8A(a US goalkeeper with more compact features) and be done with it.

The GAU-8/A is about as high performance a kinetic missile killer as you could ever possibly ask for.

Go figure.

FlyingCaddy

But from the article it seems this AHEAD ammo acts a little like a shot gun round, you dont need to aim at the target but its general direction. Can a phalanx do that. This system seems like a direct response to fear of the Sunburst (Im sorry if its incorrect) Russian Anti Ship missles. Besides a system like this makes recommsioning the Iowa seems more feasible or at least a new 25K ton BC class sporting 6 16 inchers.

rickusn

After further review my Combat Fleets does have a section on it. In addition to the info weve already posted it states:

"the weapon is said to be lethal against aircraft and helicopters to 3.5 km, cruise missles to 2 km, and sea-skimming missles to 1.5 km."

Max range for Phalanx is approx. 1.5 km.


Personally I dont want any missle or aircraft to get any closer than 10-15 nautical miles before I destroy it. But thats just me. LOL Dont blink!!!!

1.5 km or less is cutting it awfully close IMHO. But better close than never.

1 Nautical mile = 1.15 statute mile = 1.85 km

ak-dave

The Phalanx is a last ditch layer. There are several layers of systems to hopefully defeat incoming before it reaches 1.5K, not much time to destroy a supersonic target. When the warhead detonates that close it will knock your socks right off! When it all fails to work, it's bad - remember the USS Stark.

__________________
AK-Dave

Those who trade liberty for security have none.