USS Enterprise (CVN 65)
The Shuttle Newsletter Edition
“We are Legend”
September 26, 2012 Issue
CIWS: Pulling the Trigger on Defense Story by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Britney Epps
Fire Controlman 2nd Class James L. Kincheloe, assigned to CS-7 division, performs meter readings on a microwave assembly for the Close-In Weapons System mount 24. (Photo by MC3 Jared King)
USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea – When dealing with the possibility of an inbound threat to aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) there is one weapons system that stands out as the ship’s last line of defense - The Mk 15 PHALANX Close-In Weapons System (CIWS). The maintenance and upkeep of this weapons system is the responsibility of the Fire Controlman (FC) of Combat Systems department’s Weapons division (CS-7). It is their job to ensure the CIWS is up and ready for any possible attack. The CIWS is an automatic, fast reaction, 20-mm, sixbarrel gun system with integral computer-directed radar controls. It is also completely autonomous; from initial search and target tracking to final kill. There are two systems installed aboard Enterprise and the FC’s who man them are trained to troubleshoot and repair these systems as well as operate them. “I love knowing my systems are ready to defend our ship, to save lives,” said Fire Controlman 2nd Class Bryan May, “and I’m always excited to pass my knowledge and experience on to new CIWS techs.” Maintenance is a big part of keeping the CIWS ready to defend the ship and the Sailors responsible for keeping the systems “online” perform maintenance on the CIWS daily, with checks ranging from five minutes to 22 hours. “The thing I enjoy most about working on the CIWS is that I have to think around corners to fix my equipment when it goes down,” said Fire Controlman 2nd Class James Kincheloe.
The maintenance conducted by the CIWS technicians can be stressful, requiring certain precautions to prevent injury due to mount motion. “Stress is unavoidable when you’re responsible for maintaining, operating and repairing weapons systems, said May, “but that stress is greatly reduced because I work with such a remarkable team of CIWS techs.” The technicians who man the CIWS are just as impressive as the weapons system itself. The PHALANX is the only deployed close-in weapon system capable of autonomously performing its own search, detect, evaluation, track, engage and kill assessment functions. “My job was pretty difficult at first,” said Kincheloe. “It has gotten much easier now that I am more familiar with my equipment.” This familiarity is extremely valuable given the importance of the CIWS. Were a CIWS mount aboard the ship to be lost, it would reduce the Enterprise’s short-range air defense capability by 50 percent. Training, maintenance and consistent practice keep the FC’s responsible for this vital weapons system ready to pull the trigger to defend the ship.
A Close-In Weapons ystem aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) conducts a test fire. (Photo by MCSN Eric S. Brann)