It is already possible to deploy multi-vehicle AA systems today, combining radar and missile launchers. The proposal is to expand these systems by adding a CIWS vehicle dedicated only to anti-aircraft guns that can operate alongside the launchers. This would bring more tactical depth and ensure defense against very short-range threats such as drones, helicopters, missiles and aircraft that get too close.
USA / United Kingdom
See
- Operating nation: USA / United Kingdom
- Armament: M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm cannon
- Ammunition: M-940 MPT-SD
- Ammunition carried: 1,550 rounds
- Rate of fire: 4,500 rounds per minute
- Effective range: 2 - 2.5 km
- Weight: 24 tons
- Sensors: Ku-band radar + FLIR (search, track, and automatic fire)
- Crew: 4 operators
Germany
See
- Operating nation: Germany
- Armament: Oerlikon Revolver Gun Mk3, 35 mm
- Ammunition: AHEAD
- Ammunition loaded: 252 rounds
- Rate of fire: 1,000 rounds/min
- Effective range: 4 km
- Weight: 18 tons
- Sensors: X-band radar + optical/IR + Skymaster system
- Crew: 2–3 operators
Russia
Ver
- Pantsir is already present, but the suggestion is to include a version dedicated only to Cannon as CIWS.
Japan
See
- Operating nation: Thailand
- Armament: 2 Oerlikon GDF-007 35mm cannons
- Ammunition: AHEAD, HE/Frag
- Ammunition carried: 500 rounds per cannon
- Rate of fire: ~550 rounds/min per cannon
- Effective range: 4 km
- Weight: 12 tons
- Sensors: Optical/IR sensor, integrated fire control system
- Crew: 3 operators
- Thailand for Japan -
Italy
See
- Operating nation: Italy
- Armament: 20mm M61A1 Gatling gun
- Ammunition: AHEAD
- Ammunition carried: 500 rounds per gun
- Rate of fire: 4,000 rounds/min
- Effective range: 1.5 km
- Weight: N/A
- Sensors: 3D “track-while-scan” radar + optical/IR sensor + integrated fire control system
- Crew: N/A
France
See
- Operating nation: France
- Armament: CT40 cannon / 40 mm cased-telescoped family
- Ammunition: Cased-Telescoped 40 mm (CT40) — programmable munitions/ABM and HE/frag
- Ammunition carried: 140 rounds
- Rate of fire: N/A
- Effective range: 4 km
- Weight: 16 tons
- Sensors: Fire-control, EO/IR optronics + radar/sensor integration BMS
- Crew: N/A
Some nations don’t yet have multi-vehicle AA systems (China, Sweden and Israel), but they could receive them in future updates. It’s already possible to anticipate which CIWS vehicles could complement these nations:
China
See
- Operating nation: China
- Armament: 30mm Gatling gun
- Ammunition: HE-Frag / tracer / AP
- Ammunition carried: 1,000 rounds
- Rate of fire: 4,200 – 5,800 rounds/min
- Effective range: 2.5 – 3.5 km
- Weight: N/A
- Sensors: J-band tracking radar + search radar, EO/IR optics.
- Crew: N/A
Sweden
See
- Operating nation: Sweden
- Armament: 40mm Bofors L70 automatic cannon
- Ammunition: 40mm programmable 3P
- Ammunition carried: 100 rounds
- Rate of fire: 300 rounds/min
- Effective range: 4 km
- Weight: N/A
- Sensors: 3D surveillance radar, optronics (EO/IR), digital fire control system
- Crew: N/A
Israel
See
- Operating nation: Israel
- Armament: M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm cannon
- Ammunition: M-940 MPT-SD
- Ammunition carried: 1,550 rounds
- Rate of fire: 4,500 rounds per minute
- Effective range: 2 - 2.5 km
- Weight: 24 tons
- Sensors: Ku-band radar + FLIR (search, track, and automatic fire)
- Crew: 4 operators
The proposal is not to create a guns-only system, but to complement current systems, forming a suite (Radar + Launchers + CIWS Guns).
Most of the CIWS vehicles listed are large, long platforms and are not very effective operating alone. Some may even have specific advantages, such as armor-piercing munitions, and others with very long ranges.
Therefore, to keep balance, these vehicles should follow some limitations:
Effective range: between 2 and 4 km.
Platform: truck-mounted or towed.
Ammunition: no heavy armor-piercing capability (e.g., APDS); focus on AA.
This is my first post, so some information above may not be 100% accurate, but it can be considered a starting point for discussion. What do you think?