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The Meroka CIWS is a
/ref>Historia del Meroka
/ref> The system's primary purpose is defence against
Naval Weapons of the World
{{in lang, es 20 mm artillery Anti-aircraft guns of Spain Naval anti-aircraft guns Autocannon Close-in weapon systems Spanish Navy Salvo weapons
The Meroka CIWS is a Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy or officially, the Armada, is the Navy, maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces and one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Spanish Navy was responsible for a number of major historic achievements in navigat ...
12 barrelled 20 mm CIWS
A close-in weapon system (CIWS ) is a point-defense weapon system for detecting and destroying short-range incoming missiles and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses, typically mounted on a naval ship. Nearly all classes of l ...
, using twelve Oerlikon 20 mm/12 guns mounted in 2 rows of 6 guns each.Descripción e imágenes del Meroka CIWS (en inglés)/ref>
/ref> The system's primary purpose is defence against
anti-ship missile
An anti-ship missile (AShM) is a guided missile that is designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea skimming variety, and many use a combination of inertial guidance and active radar homing. A good ...
s, and other precision guided weapons. However it can also be employed against aircraft, ships and other small craft, coastal targets, and floating mines. The weapon is mounted primarily on Spanish naval vessels, from frigate size upwards.
The term MeRoKa (from German ''Mehrrohrkanone'', meaning ''multi-barrelled gun'') can refer to weapons such as the Nordenfelt gun but is more commonly used referring to this naval CIWS defence system. The "Meroka" was developed and produced by the Spanish firm FABA Sistemas
''Vicia faba'', commonly known as the broad bean, fava bean, or faba bean, is a species of vetch, a flowering plant in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. It is widely cultivated as a crop for human consumption, and also as a cover crop. Varieti ...
(''Fábrica de Artillería Bazán'').
Description
Unlike arotary cannon
A rotary cannon, rotary autocannon, rotary gun or Gatling cannon, is any large- caliber multiple-barreled automatic firearm that uses a Gatling-type rotating barrel assembly to deliver a sustained saturational direct fire at much greater r ...
, the Meroka CIWS uses individual guns firing in salvos or simultaneously; the barrels are purposely skewed in order to expand the impact area. The guns are mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and are directed by radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...
or an optronic thermal controlling system.
The original version of the Meroka CIWS was directed by a separate off-mount radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...
system. This was later changed to an on-mount Lockheed Electronics PVS-2 Sharpshooter I-band radar. The radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...
is designed to acquire targets at 5,500 yards (5,000 meters), with the Meroka achieving first impact at 1,640 yards (1,500 meters) and destruction of the target at 550 yards (500 meters). Later versions included an optronic targeting system, as a backup in high electronic jamming conditions. More recent modifications included an Israeli designed IR tracker and other electronic devices of Spanish design supplied by Indra Sistemas
Indra Sistemas, S.A. () is a Spanish information technology and defense systems company. Indra is listed on the Bolsa de Madrid and is a constituent of the IBEX 35 index.
Indra is organized around three business areas: information technologie ...
.
Specifications
* Gun: 12 × Oerlikon 20 mm/120. * Weight: . * Elevation: -15° to +85°. * Traverse: 360°. * Muzzle velocity: . * Rate of fire: 1,440 rounds per minute cyclic (for all twelve barrels). * Ammunition: Fixed (APDS-T) 720 rounds in a magazine, 60 rounds per barrel. * Weapons range: Effective range with APDS-T (0.102 kg with sabot), roughly 1,500–2,000 meters. * Search and track systems: Lockheed Electronics PVS-2 Sharpshooter I-band radar, Indra Thermal Imager.See also
* Gast Gun *Phalanx CIWS
The Phalanx CIWS (often spoken as "sea-wiz") is a gun-based close-in weapon system to defend military watercraft automatically against incoming threats such as aircraft, missiles, and small boats. It was designed and manufactured by the Ge ...
* Volley gun
References
Naval Weapons of the World
External links
{{in lang, es 20 mm artillery Anti-aircraft guns of Spain Naval anti-aircraft guns Autocannon Close-in weapon systems Spanish Navy Salvo weapons