The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the United Kingdom of 50 MK 15 Phalanx Close-in Weapon System (CIWS) Block IB Baseline 2 Upgrade Kits for an estimated cost of $75 million. 

According to the statement, announced on 20 September by the Department of Defense, the Government of the United Kingdom has requested to buy 50 MK 15 Phalanx Close-in Weapon System (CIWS) Block IB Baseline 2 Upgrade Kits.  The State Department has approved a deal for Raytheon to upgrade and maintain Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems operated by Britain’s Royal Navy.

The deal also included are support equipment, test equipment, initial spare parts, technical documentation, training, and engineering technical assistance, and other related elements of logistics and program support.

The proposed sale of the Phalanx Baseline 2 Radar Upgrade Kits will be used for close-in ship self-defense against air and surface threats onboard the UK’s naval combatants and auxiliaries.  The UK, which already has earlier versions of the MK 15 Phalanx in its inventory, will have no difficulty absorbing these upgrades and support into its armed forces.

According to the Raytheon, the Phalanx is a rapid-fire, computer-controlled, radar-guided gun that can defeat anti-ship missiles and other close-in threats on land and at sea.

At sea, it is designed to defeat anti-ship missiles and “close-in” threats that have pierced other lines of defense.

A self-contained package, the Phalanx weapon system automatically carries out functions usually performed by multiple systems: search, detection, threat evaluation, tracking, engagement and kill assessment.

The Phalanx weapon system is installed on all U.S. Navy surface combatant ship classes and on those of 24 allied nations. The land-based version is forward deployed and has been used in combat.