CIWS Close-In Weapon System Solar Panel Ornament

The Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) is a weapon system designed and assigned to naval vessels to detect and destroy incoming anti-ship missiles or related threats. It serves exclusively as a close-defense system for warships. The acronym CIWS is pronounced as "Sea-whiz", with "whiz" referring to the sound of bullets passing through the air. This name implies that the CIWS is the sound of bullets flying across the sea, and its actual close-defense function is similar. One of the defense methods employed by CIWS is the use of intensive gunfire from cannons to shoot down incoming missiles.

A typical CIWS consists of the following components: radar, computer, multi-barrel rapid-fire medium-caliber cannons (Gatling guns), and the gun mount can rotate in azimuth.

The CIWS is the last line of defense, so its goal is not to shoot down all missiles but to attack the warhead of the missile to prevent it from causing significant damage to the ship. If the warhead cannot be targeted, the system will fire on the missile's front or rear, attempting to create holes in the missile to cause it to deviate from its trajectory or detonate prematurely.