UK MoD receives additional Babcock Phalanx systems

8 May 2014 naval-technology.com

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has taken delivery of four additional Babcock Phalanx 1B kit modifications and two conversions of the land-based Phalanx weapon system, in the upgraded marinised configuration.

These systems form part of a contract awarded in 2006 to manage and execute all maintenance support activities, such as a 24/7 helpdesk for the Royal Navy, as well as logistics support for spares and repairable units.

Babcock has worked with Phalanx 1B systems' original equipment manufacturer Raytheon to convert the two land-based systems using their own support engineers.

Babcock weapons business development manager Martin Laity said: "We are pleased to have been able to deliver this further Phalanx capability upgrade successfully and on time, in partnership with Raytheon and the MoD, to enable the MoD and Royal Navy [to] build up the Phalanx close-in weapon systems (CIWS) capability it needs."

As part of an on-going programme in collaboration with Raytheon and the International Guns Missiles and Rockets Project Team, Babcock is also under contract to modernise 16 Phalanx systems to the 1B configuration.

Acting as the UK's primary defence for ships against the threat of anti-ship missiles, Phalanx CIWS is a rapid-fire, computer-controlled radar and 20mm Gatling gun system.

Incorporating a side-mounted forward looking infra-red camera (FLIR), the upgraded Phalanx 1B weapon system enables the CIWS to guard the ship against surface targets, while slowing air targets and anti-ship missiles.

Furthermore, the 1B configuration also plays a vital role in terms of countering the threat from small surface craft in littoral waters.