Posted on 03/25/2008 9:16:00 AM PDT by klpt
FOB BASE KALSU, Iraq: A Phalanx Gatling gun, most often used by naval ships to defend against incoming missiles and rockets, has been installed at Forward Operating Base Kalsu in Iraq to add a little extra punch to the base's defense system.
The gun, modified to be land-based, was installed in late February. It looks like an R2 unit from Star Wars, but unlike the little astromech droid, this gun packs a punch.
Although very complex -- having the ability to destroy incoming artillery, rocket and mortar rounds in the air before they hit their targets on the ground -- the gun is still only as good as the Soldiers manning the defense system. The Soldiers upon whom this task falls are from Battery A, 5/5 Air Defense Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division.
As the only Army counter-rocket, artillery and mortar Intercept Battery deployed in Iraq, the job was a natural fit for the air defense Soldiers. Still, preparing for the mission was a time-consuming process, one which involved preparing the new gun site and coordinating its arrival with the necessary logistical support.
Many other agencies, including Multi-National Corps-Iraq and the base Mayor's Cell, got involved, helping streamline the process. It was amazing how the different agencies came together to cut a lot of the red tape," said Capt. Andrew Cornwell, 5/5 ADA commander.
The help allowed the group to complete all the necessary preparation work before the gun arrived. Preparation involved placing more than 50 T-walls to secure the area, the construction of a guard shack and running power and fiber optics to the gun site.
"I'm surprised at how fast the fiber got laid and was ready to go," said Staff Sgt. Paul Yuhas, Battery A shift noncommissioned officer.
Although the task of preparing and installing the gun is complete, there is still a lot left to be done by the Battery A Soldiers. The responsibility of manning the gun station will fall on these Soldiers for the remainder of their deployment.
Still, the protection provided by the gun to Soldiers and civilians living on the base is enough motivation for them to continue to do their job and show the Air Defense Branch's commitment and key fighting position in Iraq.
Collateral damage is acceptable for our side and if it isn’t against us.
>>I saw one on the USS Wisconsin in 92. The thing sounded like a chain saw at full throttle.
Nothing beats an F-4 on afterburner and a hangover. Two of them did that at MCAS Beaufort, SC one Saturday morning and I hit the deck in pain.
Unlike DIVAD, however, the CIWS systems have proven themselves during extensive testing.
The videos that I’ve seen of this new unit in testing are very impressive.
The HIND couldn’t take .50cal rounds, let alone 20mm.
In the testing videos that were done at night, you can see the 20mm rounds detonate in the air. You can actuall seen them detonate high, the increasing lower as they try to detonate near the incoming projectile. Proximity or radar-set time fuzes. Yes, they did think of gravity ;)
They want to use that in Baghdad? That sounds like a really bad idea - that’s a LOT of lead being spewed out there, and those rounds eventually come back down to earth. Baghdad is a pretty large city - I imagine those civilians downrange in the city will be getting some unpleasant lead showers.
Iraq’s getting quite bumpy agian all of a sudden...Well, Baghdad is, anyway.
Thank you - hadn’t thought of that.
The General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger rotary cannon fires 3900 rpm rounds per minute.
The new land based Phalanx is capable of firing up to 4,500 rounds per minute.
http://www.raytheon.com/products/stellent/groups/public/documents/content/cms04_023130.pdf
Granted, those depleted uranium 30 mm pack a bit more punch with each shot.
“Didnt the Army used to have a 20mm vulcan on an M113 chassis - cant remember the number...”
The M163:
http://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m163.htm
To minimize collateral damage, Centurion Weapon System fires self-destruct rounds. Studies show that residue from self-destructed rounds causes virtually no damage.
http://www.raytheon.com/products/stellent/groups/public/documents/content/cms04_023130.pdf
So, you’re the guy in THAT video!!!
Almost as scary as the one where the missile decks weren’t clear when the VLS hatch opens and the guy got the surprise of his life...
Mosul, Diwaniyah, Najaf and Basra are catching it as well.
Be safe.
What is needed in the Middle East is a serious dose of realism, as opposed to the defeat and retreat views of liberals and many libertarians and the Wilsonian fantasies of the Bush administration. The Muslims do not "hate us for our freedoms", but because we are there. Yet our withdrawal will cause Russia and China to fill the power vacuum. It is time to give up any fantasy of turning Iraq into a multicultural, integrated democracy. We need to smash the forces hostile to the West with extreme prejudice, place a pro-Western dictator into power, and get out. If Iraq needs to be partitioned, so be it; the country was an artificial construct by the Allied Powers in the wake of World War I as much as Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia were.
The Hind was designed to shrug it off
Yep, the M163 Vulcan Air Defense System, which we called *SPAAG*, which in the Diesel-engined M113A1 chassis version was the replacement for our old twin-40mm *Dusters* on the M41 tank chassis, which used a mogas engine. The M163 could at least keep up with our M60A1 tanks over uneven or rough ground, and were still amphibious if their ammo was carried in an additional vehicle.
I don't think the Hind-D was all that able to shrug off 20mm Vulcan fire, though- I once saw an old French M24 tank chewed apart by multiple .50 MG fire, with parts and pieces flying off here and there, the tracks being cut and dropping off, and eventually, a largish hole being torn through the turret armor. I doubt that the relatively thin armor of a helo could have stood up as well or as long, and certainly not against repeat 20mm hits.
But even so, the proposed replacement for the M136, an M48A5 tank chassis with the 30mm GAU-8 gun of the A-10 *Warthawg* mounted would have been a real nightmare for any Gorbach crew who tried to get in close enough to use guns, rather than their standoff missiles...in which case the accompanying M113 with the quad-Chapparal missile launcher was to take over. Sadly, they dropped the 30mm-gun AAA tank, AKA *Skink II* in favor of the DIVADS Sergeant York and its ho-hum twin-40mm gun...
Look up CRAM or C-RAM on YouTube and you’ll see some cool videos.
Check out this video of a sailor walking across the deck when a missle launches.
During a lauch drill, a sailor inadvertantly walks across the lower stern missle deck.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2299004438389621231&hl=en
OH HELL YES.
Do you remember 0an eight-wheeled sled-type vehicle with the 20mm or 30mm mounted?
I recall seeing a demo at Ft. Knox back in 1985. The sled was very low to the ground an capable of some pretty cool pivot steer. The driver was way up front in a near recline and the gun was fully exposed.
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