Goalkeeper CIWS
Encyclopedia
Goalkeeper is a Dutch
close-in weapon system
(CIWS) introduced in 1979 and in use , which primarily defends ship
s against incoming missile
s and ballistic shells. This system consists of an autocannon
and an advanced radar
which in typically six seconds detects incoming fire, determines its trajectory, and aims and fires the gun. The system is fully automatic, needing no human input once activated. The name comes from the defensive position
in Association Football and other sports. The system is made by Thales Navy Netherlands. The system can also be deployed to protect airfield
s.
) working with General Electric
, who supplied the GAU-8
gun. A prototype, the EX-83 was first demonstrated to the Royal Netherlands Navy
in 1979.
The 2D I band
search radar, which can handle up to 18 targets at once, generates a threat picture which the gun system uses to identify and prioritise threats. The system has identify friend or foe (IFF) functionality to rule out friendly traces. The tracking radar operates in both I band
and K band to enable quick acquisition on the threat bearing. Data from both the I band and K band return signals indicate target range and can be used to identify, and respond to the use of, electronic countermeasures
(ECM). The dual band system also reduces the effect of clutter
, which can mask the target at low altitude. A camera system on the assembly provides a visual fallback for the system operator.
30 mm
Gatling gun
, as used by the A-10 Thunderbolt II
aircraft, was selected for the system. The 30 mm round has a greater mass than the M61 Vulcan
used in the Phalanx CIWS
, so that it has greater stopping power despite the similar muzzle velocity and range.
The 30 mm round has a discarding nylon sleeve (sabot
) with a 21 mm sub-calibre tungsten
penetrator. The nylon sabot provides a seal between penetrator and barrel, and reduces wear.
The tracking radar is capable of monitoring the line of fire and commanding minor adjustments.
Supersonic
missiles that are damaged may still have enough momentum to hit the ship—the only way to ensure the protection of the ship is either to detonate the warhead of the missile or obliterate the missile.
The system's reaction time to a Mach 2
sea-skimming missile such as the Russian SS-N-22 Sunburn from automatic detection to kill is reported to be 5.5 seconds with the firing synchronised to start the engagement at a range of 1,500 m and ending with a kill at 300 m.
: Royal Navy
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
close-in weapon system
Close-in weapon system
A close-in weapon system , often pronounced sea-whiz, is a naval shipboard point-defense weapon for detecting and destroying at short range incoming anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses....
(CIWS) introduced in 1979 and in use , which primarily defends ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s against incoming missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s and ballistic shells. This system consists of an autocannon
Autocannon
An autocannon or automatic cannon is a rapid-fire projectile weapon firing a shell as opposed to the bullet fired by a machine gun. Autocannons often have a larger caliber than a machine gun . Usually, autocannons are smaller than a field gun or other artillery, and are mechanically loaded for a...
and an advanced radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
which in typically six seconds detects incoming fire, determines its trajectory, and aims and fires the gun. The system is fully automatic, needing no human input once activated. The name comes from the defensive position
Goalkeeper
In many team sports which involve scoring goals, a goalkeeper is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by intercepting shots at goal...
in Association Football and other sports. The system is made by Thales Navy Netherlands. The system can also be deployed to protect airfield
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s.
Development
Development of the system began in 1975 with Signaal (now Thales NederlandThales Nederland
Thales Nederland B.V. is a subsidiary of Thales Group involved primarily in naval defence systems...
) working with General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
, who supplied the GAU-8
GAU-8 Avenger
The General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger is a 30 mm, hydraulically-driven seven-barrel Gatling-type rotary cannon that is mounted on the United States Air Force's Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. It is among the largest, heaviest and most powerful aircraft cannons in the United States military...
gun. A prototype, the EX-83 was first demonstrated to the Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
in 1979.
Target selection
Goalkeeper has two radar sub-systems, one to find threats and another to track and engage them, which operate together to identify and prioritise targets, and engage the highest priority one.The 2D I band
I band
The I band is the range of radio frequencies from 8 GHz to 10 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum. This is equal to wave lengths between 3.75 cm and 3 cm. The I band is in the SHF range of the radio spectrum....
search radar, which can handle up to 18 targets at once, generates a threat picture which the gun system uses to identify and prioritise threats. The system has identify friend or foe (IFF) functionality to rule out friendly traces. The tracking radar operates in both I band
I band
The I band is the range of radio frequencies from 8 GHz to 10 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum. This is equal to wave lengths between 3.75 cm and 3 cm. The I band is in the SHF range of the radio spectrum....
and K band to enable quick acquisition on the threat bearing. Data from both the I band and K band return signals indicate target range and can be used to identify, and respond to the use of, electronic countermeasures
Electronic countermeasures
An electronic countermeasure is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar or other detection systems, like infrared or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting information to an enemy...
(ECM). The dual band system also reduces the effect of clutter
Clutter (radar)
Clutter is a term used for unwanted echoes in electronic systems, particularly in reference to radars. Such echoes are typically returned from ground, sea, rain, animals/insects, chaff and atmospheric turbulences, and can cause serious performance issues with radar systems.- Backscatter coefficient...
, which can mask the target at low altitude. A camera system on the assembly provides a visual fallback for the system operator.
Target engagement
The GAU-8/A AvengerGAU-8 Avenger
The General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger is a 30 mm, hydraulically-driven seven-barrel Gatling-type rotary cannon that is mounted on the United States Air Force's Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. It is among the largest, heaviest and most powerful aircraft cannons in the United States military...
30 mm
30 mm caliber
30 mm caliber ammunition is usually used in autocannon. Such ammunition includes NATO standard 30 × 173 mm and 30 × 113 mm and Soviet 30 × 165 mm ammunition widely used around the world....
Gatling gun
Gatling gun
The Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. It is well known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat...
, as used by the A-10 Thunderbolt II
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
aircraft, was selected for the system. The 30 mm round has a greater mass than the M61 Vulcan
M61 Vulcan
The M61 Vulcan is a hydraulically or pneumatically driven, six-barreled, air-cooled, electrically fired Gatling-style rotary cannon which fires 20 mm rounds at an extremely high rate. The M61 and its derivatives have been the principal cannon armament of United States military fixed-wing aircraft...
used in the Phalanx CIWS
Phalanx CIWS
The Phalanx CIWS is an anti-ship missile defense system. It is a close-in weapon system and was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division...
, so that it has greater stopping power despite the similar muzzle velocity and range.
The 30 mm round has a discarding nylon sleeve (sabot
Sabot
A sabot is a device used in a firearm or cannon to fire a projectile, such as a bullet, that is smaller than the bore diameter, or which must be held in a precise position. The term is also applied to a battery stub case, a device used similarly to make a small electrical battery usable in a...
) with a 21 mm sub-calibre tungsten
Tungsten
Tungsten , also known as wolfram , is a chemical element with the chemical symbol W and atomic number 74.A hard, rare metal under standard conditions when uncombined, tungsten is found naturally on Earth only in chemical compounds. It was identified as a new element in 1781, and first isolated as...
penetrator. The nylon sabot provides a seal between penetrator and barrel, and reduces wear.
The tracking radar is capable of monitoring the line of fire and commanding minor adjustments.
Supersonic
Supersonic
Supersonic speed is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of sound . For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C this speed is approximately 343 m/s, 1,125 ft/s, 768 mph or 1,235 km/h. Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound are often...
missiles that are damaged may still have enough momentum to hit the ship—the only way to ensure the protection of the ship is either to detonate the warhead of the missile or obliterate the missile.
The system's reaction time to a Mach 2
Mach number
Mach number is the speed of an object moving through air, or any other fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance for its particular physical conditions, including those of temperature and pressure...
sea-skimming missile such as the Russian SS-N-22 Sunburn from automatic detection to kill is reported to be 5.5 seconds with the firing synchronised to start the engagement at a range of 1,500 m and ending with a kill at 300 m.
Comparison with current CIWS
 AK-630 |
AK-630M1-2 |
 Phalanx CIWSPhalanx CIWS The Phalanx CIWS is an anti-ship missile defense system. It is a close-in weapon system and was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division... |
 Goalkeeper CIWSGoalkeeper CIWS Goalkeeper is a Dutch close-in weapon system introduced in 1979 and in use , which primarily defends ships against incoming missiles and ballistic shells. This system consists of an autocannon and an advanced radar which in typically six seconds detects incoming fire, determines its trajectory,... |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 9114 kg (20,092.9 lb) | 11819 kg (26,056.4 lb) | 6200 kg (13,668.7 lb) | 9902 kg (21,830.2 lb) |
| Armament | 30 mm (1.2 in) 6 barreled GSh-6-30 Gatling Gun | 30 mm (1.2 in) 2 * 6 barreled GSh-6-30 Gatling Gun | 20 mm (0.78740157480315 in) 6 barreled M61 Vulcan M61 Vulcan The M61 Vulcan is a hydraulically or pneumatically driven, six-barreled, air-cooled, electrically fired Gatling-style rotary cannon which fires 20 mm rounds at an extremely high rate. The M61 and its derivatives have been the principal cannon armament of United States military fixed-wing aircraft... Gatling Gun |
30 mm (1.2 in) 7 barreled GAU-8 Gatling Gun |
| Rate of Fire | 5,000 rounds per minute | 10,000 rounds per minute | 4,500 rounds per minute | 4,200 rounds per minute |
| (effective/ flat-trajectory) Range | 4000 m (13,123.4 ft) | 4000 m (13,123.4 ft) | 3600 m (11,811 ft) | 2000 m (6,561.7 ft) |
| Ammunition stowage | 2,000 rounds | 4,000 rounds | 1,550 rounds | 1,190 rounds |
| Muzzle velocity | 900 m (2,952.8 ft) per second | 900 m (2,952.8 ft) per second | 1100 m (3,608.9 ft) per second | 1109 m (3,638.5 ft) per second |
| Elevation | -12 to +88 degrees | -12 to +88 degrees | -25 to +85 degrees | -25 to +85 degrees |
| Traverse | 360 degrees | 360 degrees | -150 to +150 degrees | 360 degrees |
Specifications
- Gun: GAU-8/A AvengerGAU-8 AvengerThe General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger is a 30 mm, hydraulically-driven seven-barrel Gatling-type rotary cannon that is mounted on the United States Air Force's Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. It is among the largest, heaviest and most powerful aircraft cannons in the United States military...
30 mm seven-barrel Gatling gunGatling gunThe Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. It is well known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat...
. - Height: 3.71 m (above deck) 6.2 m (including deck penetration).
- Weight: 6,372 kg with 1,190 rds of ammunition (above deck), 9,902 kg (total).
- Elevation +85° to −25° at 80°/s.
- Muzzle velocity: 1,109 m/s (MPDS round).
- Turret speed 360° in 3.8 seconds
- Rate of fire: 70 rounds/second (4,200 rounds/minute).
- Maximum burst size: 1,000 rounds.
- Ammunition: 1,190 linkless (HEI, API, TP, MPDS, FMPDS) rounds in a below-deck magazine.
- Reload time: 9 minutes (loading is done below deck)
- Weapons range: 350 to between 1,500 and 2,000 meters dependent on ammunition.
- Search radar: I band/linear array. I band is X band. Beamsize 1.5 degrees horizontal, 60 degrees vertical. Rotates at 1 Hz (60 RPM). Range approx. 30 km.
- Engagement radar: I band and K band monopulse cassegrainCassegrain antennaIn telecommunications and radar, a Cassegrain antenna is a parabolic antenna in which the feed radiator is mounted at or behind the surface of the concave main parabolic reflector dish and is aimed at a smaller convex secondary reflector suspended in front of the primary reflector...
. - Optical system: TV
- 100% kill distance: 500 m
Operators
United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
: Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
-
- , , , and the four Type 22Type 22 frigateThe Type 22 Broadsword class is a class of frigate built for the British Royal Navy. Fourteen of the class were built in total, with production divided into three batches. With the decommissioning of HMS Cornwall on 30 June 2011, the final Type 22 of the Royal Navy was retired from service...
batch 3 frigateFrigateA frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s. - Illustrious and Invincible were previously equipped with Phalanx. They were replaced with three Goalkeepers (per ship). The other ship of the same class, , retained the Phalanx. ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
: Chilean NavyChilean Navy-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the... - 2 s NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
: Royal Netherlands NavyRoyal Netherlands NavyThe Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands... - The system entered service with all Royal Netherlands Navy's large surface ships from 1980. South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
: Republic of Korea NavyRepublic of Korea NavyThe Republic of Korea Navy or the ROK Navy is the branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which is a quasi-autonomous organization... - s
- s
- s
- PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
: Portuguese NavyPortuguese NavyThe Portuguese Navy is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal.... - 2 s BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
: Belgian NavyBelgian NavyThe Marine Component of the Belgian Army, formerly the Belgian Naval Force, is the naval service of Belgium.-Early history:The Belgian Navy was created as the Marine Royale in 1831. This force has operated in various forms throughout Belgian history.When after the Belgian Revolution, the country... - 2 Karel Doorman class frigates QatarQatarQatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
: Qatar Armed Forces - 4 Vosper Thornycroft Vita-class
- , , , and the four Type 22