Australia has asked the United States for upgrades to Close-In Weapon System Block 1B Baseline 1 weapons aboard its Navy ships.
The Close-In Weapon System Block 1B Baseline 1 is also known as the Phalanx, a six-barrel Gatling cannon that can fire as many as 4,500 rounds a minute.
"The proposed sale will improve Australia's maritime defense capability to contribute to national defense and future coalition operations," the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in its required notification to Congress. "Australia will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its shipboard defense."
The sale of an upgrade package through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program carries a value of $76 million.
The package would include as many as three CIWS Block 1B Baseline 1 kits for upgrading to the Baseline 2 configuration, the overhaul and upgrade of up to nine CIWS Block 1A mounts to Block 1B Baseline 2 systems; 11 remote control stations; 11 local control stations, spare and repair parts, support equipment and logistics support.
Raytheon would be the principal contractor for the proposed sale.
