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Phalanx Close-In Weapon System Proves Critical Efficiency in Shielding U.S. Warships.
On May 5, 2025, Raytheon RTX officially confirmed that its Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) successfully intercepted a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile on January 30, 2025, just seconds before it could strike the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Gravely in the Red Sea. This announcement, accompanied by a video testimony, provides a rare insight into the system's effectiveness during current U.S. maritime security operations near Yemen. Phalanx has repeatedly proven its value as the Navy’s final protective barrier, and in this case, it directly saved over 300 sailors. In a region increasingly marked by missile threats, the system's autonomous and immediate response capacity confirms its continued relevance in naval warfare.
The Phalanx CIWS is a self-contained, rapid-response defense system integrating radar-guided tracking and a 20mm M61A1 Gatling gun capable of neutralizing incoming missiles and aircraft at close range (Picture source: Raytheon)
The Phalanx CIWS is a self-contained, rapid-response defense system integrating radar-guided tracking and a 20mm M61A1 Gatling gun capable of neutralizing incoming missiles and aircraft at close range. Designed by Raytheon and now part of RTX's defense portfolio, it serves as the last-resort layer of protection onboard U.S. and allied naval vessels. Since its Cold War-era development, Phalanx has undergone significant upgrades, particularly the Block 1B variant, which includes electro-optical sensors and enhanced surface mode targeting to confront evolving threats, including drones and fast-attack craft.
The USS Gravely’s real-world combat interception on January 30 came amid a renewed wave of Houthi attacks against U.S. and commercial ships in the Red Sea, a strategic corridor increasingly targeted in the wake of escalating regional tensions. That night, a Houthi cruise missile came within one nautical mile of the destroyer before the Phalanx CIWS activated autonomously and shot it down in a matter of seconds. Other shipboard defense systems, such as interceptors or electronic warfare suites, either failed to detect or engage the incoming threat in time, leaving Phalanx as the last defense before impact. This event marked the first confirmed operational engagement of Phalanx against a live cruise missile under combat conditions at sea.
These growing threats are tied to the Houthi forces’ expanding missile capabilities, which include anti-ship cruise missiles primarily supplied by Iran, such as the older Soviet-era P-21 and P-22 (SS-N-2 Styx), the Chinese C-801 (YJ-81/CSS-N-4 Sardine), and the Al-Mandab-1, likely derived from the Iranian Noor. These systems have enabled the Houthis to conduct increasingly sophisticated attacks on maritime traffic in the Red Sea, directly challenging U.S. and allied naval operations. The attack on the Gravely highlights the urgency of the U.S. Navy’s reinforced presence in the region, aimed at countering this evolving missile threat and ensuring the security of one of the world’s most vital maritime routes.
This success not only validates decades of engineering and upgrades but also signals the importance of maintaining close-in defenses even as navies shift towards multi-layered and networked air defense solutions. While missile-based systems like the SM-2 or ESSM provide valuable long-range coverage, Phalanx’s ability to operate independently and respond within milliseconds makes it uniquely effective against low-altitude, high-speed projectiles in terminal phases. As the U.S. Navy faces unconventional missile threats from non-state actors like the Houthis, the role of CIWS technology becomes increasingly strategic, not just tactically, but also as a psychological anchor for naval crews.
Raytheon RTX, the developer and maintainer of the Phalanx system, remains under contract with the U.S. Department of Defense for upgrades, sustainment, and deployment across dozens of vessels. In their May 5 announcement, RTX employees, many with decades on the program, described the emotional significance of the January intercept. For them, the validation of their work was not theoretical, but measured in lives saved aboard a vessel that could have faced catastrophic damage without their system.
The confirmed interception of a Houthi cruise missile by the Phalanx CIWS aboard USS Gravely offers a powerful reminder of why close-in weapon systems remain indispensable in modern naval doctrine. As threats from asymmetric actors intensify and naval engagements become less predictable, systems like Phalanx bridge the gap between technological readiness and real-world performance. Raytheon RTX’s announcement not only highlights this successful operation but also underscores the enduring relevance of human craftsmanship and engineering in defending lives at sea. In today’s maritime conflict zones, the last line of defense is often the only one that matters.