BAE Systems Wants Its New Microwave Close-In Weapon System Concept On US Navy Ships - The Drive: "Close-in defense is becoming a very hot topic in American defense circles and in those of foreign powers as well. America's land fighting forces are rushing to address their glaring short-range air defense (SHORAD) gap, while the US Navy is coping with the reality that enemies large and small could successfully take a swipe at one of their surface combatants using everything from small boat attacks, to small drone swarms, to anti-ship missiles, and especially in tight littoral environments. Beyond the existing stalwart kinetic options, directed energy weapons have been seen as the holy grail of close-in naval defense, and it's a space where the US Navy has spent significant development dollars in hopes of moving the technology forward. But lasers aren't the only directed energy close-in weapon system (CIWS) solution—microwave systems may be an equally attractive and more attainable capability in the near term.
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