Crossbow CIWS

Crossbow CIWS
A Crossbow Block 2 aboard the GCNS Vengeance during a live fire test.
Type	Close-in weapon system
Place of origin	Hulie
Service history
In service	1980–present
Used by	See Operators
Production history
Designer	Xianzai Arsenal
Designed	1975–1979
Manufacturer	Xianzai Arsenal
Unit cost	CL₡7.3 million (FY2012)
Produced	1979–present
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Crew	Automated, with human oversight
Shell	Armour-piercing discarding sabot (Block 0/1/2) High Explosive Incendiary Tracer, Self-Destruct (CRAMS)
Shell weight	0.62 kg (1.4 lb) (APDS) 0.67 kg (1.5 lb) (HEIT-SD)
Calibre	30×173mm
Barrels	7-barrels (Block 0/1, CRAMS) 11-barrels (Block 2)
Action	Hydraulically-driven
Elevation	−10°/+80° (Block 0) −25°/+85° (Block 1/2, CRAMS)
Traverse	360°
Rate of fire	1,200−4,200 rounds/minute (Block 0/1, CRAMS) 11,000 rounds/minute (Block 2)
Muzzle velocity	1,150 m/s (3,800 ft/s) (APDS) 1,021 m/s (3,350 ft/s) (HEIT-SD)
Effective firing range	1−1.5 km (0.62–0.93 mi)
Maximum firing range	5 km (3.1 mi)
Feed system	Block 0/1: One ammunition drum, holding 640 rounds Block 2: Two ammunition drums, each holding 640 rounds (total 1280 rounds) CRAMS: Two ammunition drums, each holding 500 rounds (total 1000 rounds)
Main armament	1 × AGU-730 30 mm seven-barrel rotary cannon (Block 0/1, CRAMS) 1 × AGU-1130 30 mm eleven-barrel rotary cannon (Block 2)
Guidance system	J-band radar Electro-optical fire control system

Development

The ADW-2 prototype demonstrated to the HPLANF in 1978.

Development of the Crossbow close-in weapons system began in 1975 as the Seashield, which was intended to create an automated weapon to serve as the last line of defence against missiles and aircraft for the HPLANF's warships. Xianzai Arsenal partnered with Atlas Electronics, which provided the radar and fire-control system, to deliver the prototype ADW-2 unit in late 1978. During demonstrations to the Huliean People's Liberation Army Naval Force, the model exceeded all performance requirements; however, the HPLANF requested that the system's reliability and maintenance be improved upon. A further operational evaluation was successfully conducted with the CIWS installed aboard the destroyer Feiluhng in 1979, after which the weapon was approved for production under the new designation of Crossbow.

Variants

Block 0

The original variant of the Crossbow. The first generation versions lacked a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor and had only marginal interception capabilities against surface targets.

Block 1

A Block 1B Crossbow onboard the GCNS Ban Kou.

The Block 1 upgrade was rolled out in 1989 to increase the Crossbow's ability to counter supersonic anti-ship missiles then entering service with foreign navies. This version saw improvements to the system's radar and computing power, the AGU-730's ammunition feed system and rate of fire, and an increase in the CIWS's elevation range to from −10°/+80° to −25°/+85°. Block 1A added further improvements to the electronics in the form of a new computer system. The Block 1B upgrade introduced a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor for the first time, which allowed the Crossbow to serve as an effective defence against surface as well as aerial targets. In addition to providing a defensive capability against boat swarms or suicide boat attacks, the FLIR also allows operators to visually identify and manually target threats. As of 2015, all Block 0 and Block 1 Crossbow CIWS had been upgraded to the Block 1B standard.

Block 2

Further development of the Crossbow CIWS led to the Crossbow Block 2, which was first shown in 2013. Though the Block 2 still fires 30×173mm rounds, the Block 2 uses the 11-barreled AGU-1130 30 mm rotary cannon rather than the 7-barreled AGU-730 as its primary weapon. As a result, the Block 2 has a fire rate more than twice that of the preceding blocks- 11,000 rounds per minute vs 4,200 rounds per minute. To sustain such a high rate of fire, the Block 2 also has one additional ammunition drum compared to Block 0/1 Crossbow variants for a total of 1,280 rounds (640 rounds per drum). The Block 2 has a reported efficiency of 96% against Mach 4 anti-ship missiles according to publicly available sources.

CRAMS

The CRAMS is the land-based version of the Crossbow CIWS.

The CRAMS (Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar System) is a terrestrial development of the proven Crossbow close-in weapons system for short-range defence of military bases and facilities against rocket, artillery, and mortar rounds. Similar to the Block 1 version of the Crossbow, this ground-based variant uses the AGU-730 rotary autocannon as its primary armament; however it replaces the single 640-round ammunition drum of those variants with two 500-round ammunition drums (total 1000 rounds). With an effective range of up to 3.5 km (2.2 mi), each CRAMS gun unit reportedly carries enough ammunition for 48 engagements. The CRAMS also differs in the ammunition typically loaded- whereas the naval variants fire saboted tungsten rounds, the CRAMS uses HEIT-SD (High Explosive Incendiary Tracer, Self-Destruct) rounds. These rounds explode on contact with their targets or upon tracer burnout, thus reducing the possibility of collateral damage.

Each system consists of six truck-mounted Crossbow CIWS units with their own attached generator and power supply, a central ground control unit for target designation, and two 3D radar sensor units for surveillance and tracking. The entire CRAMS is fully automated, with no need for operator input once safeties are released. CRAMS was first adopted by the National Chilokveri Air Force in 2009 at a cost of ₡73.6 million per system, and was later adopted by the Supreme Army of Chilokver in 2011.

Operators

Current operators

• Chilokver
  • Grand Chilokveri Navy – The Crossbow CIWS is installed onboard all major surface combatants of the Grand Chilokveri Navy. All units have been updated to the Block 1B standard as of 2015, while the Block 2 variant has only been installed on the Vengeance-class aircraft carriers and the GCNS Touchi as of 2019.
  • National Chilokveri Air Force – The CRAMS has replaced the Skyguard area defence system in the short-range air protection role for all National Chilokveri Air Force bases.
  • Supreme Army of Chilokver – The Supreme Army of Chilokver took delivery of its first CRAMS system in 2011.

Former operators

• People's Republic of Hulie
  • Huliean People's Liberation Army Naval Force – The Crossbow CIWS was installed aboard the Huliean People's Liberation Army Naval Force's Min Ha-class frigates as well as the Gipguk class and Mukhak-class destroyers.

Specifications (Block 2)

• Gun: 1 × AGU-1130 30 mm eleven-barrel rotary cannon
• Height: 3.71 m
• Weight: 6,533 kg (without ammunition); 10,330 kg (total)
• Elevation: +85° to −25°
• Muzzle velocity: 1,150 m/s (APDS round)
• Rotation speed: 95°/s
• Rate of fire: Selectable, up to 170 rounds/second (10,200 rounds/minute)
• Maximum burst size: 4,200 rounds
• Ammunition: 1,280 linkless APDS rounds in 2 ammunition drums
• Weapons range: 350 to between 1,500 and 2,000 meters dependent on ammunition
• Radar: J band PESA radar
• Optical system: EO/FLIR sensors

See also

• ADW-1 anti-aircraft gun