The USS Gravely's AEGIS anti-missile system failed to intercept a Houthi cruise missile, marking the first combat failure of the AEGIS system against a non-state actor. The missile came within seconds of hitting the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer carrying 312 sailors, prompting the use of the Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) for the first time at sea. The CIWS, a 20mm Gatling cannon, fired 4500 rounds per minute to destroy the incoming missile. This marked the first time in history that the CIWS had been used in combat from a warship to destroy an incoming cruise missile seconds away from impact. The incident raises concerns about the effectiveness of the Navy's defense systems against Houthi attacks in the Red Sea region.
A Houthi missile was just seconds from hitting a US warship. The Navy used its ‘last line of defense’ #oott https://t.co/exO5B9Zkve
A Houthi missile got within a mile of a US Navy destroyer, trigger for the first time a powerful missile defense system that had never been used before in actual combat. https://t.co/MMNPu6rcrT
A Houthi missile got within a nautical mile of USS Gravely on Tuesday https://t.co/k0FKUTrLai
NEW: The Houthis came within seconds of hitting a US destroyer in the Red Sea on Tuesday. What happens if the next missile actually hits its target? @connor_echols https://t.co/MMNPu6rcrT
Gravely used its Phalanx Close-In Weapons System, a cannon that can shoot 4,500 rounds a minute, to take out the Houthi missile. https://t.co/9Vj4LYIMbq
First time in history CIWS (“sea-wiz”) has been used in combat from a warship to destroy an incoming cruise missile seconds away from impact. https://t.co/MnINZ4dr3Z
Phalanx CIWS used for the first time against a Houthi missile For the first time since they began swatting down Houthi missiles and UAVs fired into the Red Sea region, a U.S. warship had to use its Mark 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) against an incoming threat. Taken… https://t.co/Dvqa6J3oVz
“the USS Gravely had to use its Close-in Weapon System to shoot the incoming missile down. It was the first time the close-in system, which is designed as the last layer of defense after the outer layers have been penetrated, has been used.” First time… at sea. https://t.co/hmheVGiLj4
The latest Houthi anti-ship missile attack came within *6 seconds* of hitting a US Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer carrying 312 sailors. Six seconds! May God bless the CIWS, a 20mm Gatling cannon that fires 4500 rounds per minute. https://t.co/RrEQiFdyqK https://t.co/4yguQ3VEIP
Phalanx CIWS Downs Houthi Missile Dangerously Close To Destroyer: Report For a Navy warship, using a Close-In Weapons System against an approaching anti-ship missile is a method of last resort. Story: https://t.co/TFQEhxXhiM
The USS Gravely’s AEGIS anti missile system failed to stop an incoming Houthi cruise missile. First combat failure of AEGIS system, and it was against a non-state actor. https://t.co/EOV5QLhdR9