United States Raytheon (RTX)
Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15)
Radar-guided 20mm Gatling-gun close-in weapon system providing last-line point defense for warships against anti-ship missiles and small craft.
In service since 1980
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-04
💲 ≈ $13,660,000, Recent foreign military sales price Block 1B mounts at about USD 13.66 million each (nine units for South Korea) and about GBP 8.56 million each for five UK units. Taiwan's 13-mount Block 1B Baseline 2 package, including 260,000 Mk 244 rounds, totalled USD 416 million.
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
In service since 1980. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$34M – $48M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~25 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Effective range Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope. | 1,486 m |
|---|---|
| Rate of fire Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability. | 4,500 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration. | 1,097 m/s |
| Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace. | 9 km |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 1x 20 mm M61 Vulcan six-barrel Gatling cannon |
|---|---|
| Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters. | 20 mm |
| Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity. | 1550 |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 4.72 m |
|---|---|
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 6,169 kg |
| Barrel length Barrel length, longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling. | 1,519 mm |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | Ku-band search and track radar |
|---|---|
| Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations. | Yes |
Munition
Round type, penetration, velocity and projectile data.
| Caliber Bore diameter the round is fired from. | 20 mm |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $13,660,000 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Raytheon (RTX) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-04.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1 Frequently asked questions
What is the engagement range of the Raytheon (RTX) Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15)? +
The Raytheon (RTX) Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15) has a maximum engagement range of 9 km.
How much does the Raytheon (RTX) Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15) weigh? +
The Raytheon (RTX) Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15) has a combat weight of 6,169 kg.
What is the main armament of the Raytheon (RTX) Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15)? +
The Raytheon (RTX) Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15)'s primary weapon is the 1x 20 mm M61 Vulcan six-barrel Gatling cannon.
How much does the Raytheon (RTX) Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15) cost? +
The Raytheon (RTX) Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15) has an approximate unit cost of 13,660,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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