In Defense News (subscription only):
The U.S. Army is considering buying more Counter Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) systems, first fielded in 2006 to protect forward operating bases from incoming fire, said U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael Vane, who directs the Army Capabilities Integration Center.
The Army last increased its order in January, when it gave Northrop Grumman a $71 million contract to supply an unspecified number of C-RAMs. Vane declined to say how many of the weapons have been purchased, or how many might be added.
This seems to be an unstated confirmation that the C-RAM is performing acceptably in Iraq. C-RAM is based on the Navy’s Phalanx Block 1B 20mm Close In Weapons System and a Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control network. The actual results in the field are classified.
See R2-D2 vs. Mortar Rounds and Land-Based Phalanx Weapon System C-RAM plus previous coverage on Defense Tech for more on this system.
–Murdoc
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
davids:
Don’t know if you’d need a proximity fuse, if you had time fusing, and could extrapolate a likely hit window.
I mean, you probably want the shells bursting in air anyway, rather than continuing down (or up) range.
Cool system, sounds like something that were spending a boat load of money on is finally working.
Funny, the number of stories about mortars landing in the green zone or any other base in Iraq seems to be getting fewer and fewer. I wonder if there is a connection. Hope so!
i swear that picture sooo looks like the Phalanx
the Phalanx is obviously very capable of engaging fast projectiles e.g a missile for an aircraft carrier so i dont see why they cant use it for ground defence