The Rheinmetall Oerlikon Millennium Gun or Rheinmetall GDM-008 is a
close-in weapon system
A close-in weapon system (CIWS ) is a point-defense weapon system for detecting and destroying short-range incoming missiles and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses, typically mounted on a naval ship. Nearly all classes of ...
designed by
Rheinmetall Air Defence
Rheinmetall Air Defence AG is a division of German armament manufacturer Rheinmetall, created when the company's Oerlikon Contraves unit was renamed on 1 January 2009 and integrated with Rheinmetall's other air-defence products. Oerlikon Contra ...
AG (formerly known as Oerlikon Contraves) for mounting on ships. It is based on the 35/1000 revolver gun land-based
air defense
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
system and uses Advanced Hit Efficiency And Destruction (AHEAD) ammunition.
Description
A device at the muzzle end of the barrel measures the exact speed of each round as it is fired, and automatically sets the fuse to detonate the round as it approaches a pre-set distance from the target. Each round disperses 152 small
tungsten
Tungsten, or wolfram, is a chemical element with the symbol W and atomic number 74. Tungsten is a rare metal found naturally on Earth almost exclusively as compounds with other elements. It was identified as a new element in 1781 and first isolat ...
projectiles
weighing each to form a lethal cone-shaped cloud to strike the incoming target.
Whilst these are too small to do major damage in themselves, the accumulation of damage from multiple strikes is expected to destroy wings and control surfaces, sensors and aerodynamics, causing the target to crash. Other firing modes are designed to be effective against surface targets such as small fast attack boats.
The weapon is designed to be controlled by an external
fire-control system
A fire-control system (FCS) is a number of components working together, usually a gun data computer, a director, and radar, which is designed to assist a ranged weapon system to target, track, and hit a target. It performs the same task as a ...
using either radar or electro-optical trackers. It is fitted with an optional onboard observation TV camera which relays imagery to an operator console from which it can also be aimed and fired in an emergency mode. The computer system uses an
open architecture
Open architecture is a type of computer architecture or software architecture intended to make adding, upgrading, and swapping components with other computers easy. For example, the IBM PC, Amiga 500 and Apple IIe have an open architecture support ...
and is claimed to be compatible with many existing fire control systems.
The gun's ammunition capacity allows it to engage 10
anti-ship missile
An anti-ship missile (AShM) is a guided missile that is designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea skimming variety, and many use a combination of inertial guidance and active radar homing. A good ...
s or 20 surface targets.
Users
;
* The
Bulgarian Navy
The Bulgarian Navy ( bg, Военноморски сили на Република България, Voennomorski sili na Republika Balgariya, lit=Naval Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria) is the navy of the Republic of Bulgaria and forms part of ...
's new corvettes (MMPV 90) are planned to be armed with the Millennium gun
;
*
''Absalon''-class frigate
*
''Iver Huitfeldt''-class frigate
;
*
''Martadinata''-class frigate
*
Type 31 frigate
The Type 31 frigate or Inspiration class, and formerly known as the Type 31e frigate or General Purpose Frigate (GPF), is a planned class of frigate intended to enter service with the United Kingdom's Royal Navy in the 2020s alongside the subm ...
(Planned)
;
*
''Al Jubail''-class corvette
;
*
*
See also
*
Nächstbereichschutzsystem MANTIS
MANTIS Air Defence System (''Modular, Automatic and Network Capable Targeting and Interception System''), formerly titled NBS-C-RAM ( Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar), is a very short-range air defence protection system of the German Air F ...
ground-based
C-RAM by Rheinmetall using same gun
*
Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon
The Oerlikon GDF or Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon is a towed anti-aircraft gun made by Oerlikon Contraves (renamed as ''Rheinmetall Air Defence AG'' following the merger with Rheinmetall in 2009). The system was originally designated 2 ZLA/3 ...
earlier system using AHEAD rounds
*
Aselsan GOKDENIZ
The GOKDENIZ ( tr, Aselsan Gökdeniz) complex along with Aselsan ATOM 35mm airburst ammunition is an all-weather-capable Turkish 35 mm dual barrel close-in weapon system (CIWS) developed by Aselsan. It is a CIWS variant of KORKUT Self-prop ...
—comparable Turkish system
*
Denel 35mm Dual Purpose Gun
The Denel 35mm Dual Purpose Gun (35DPG) is a close-in weapon system (CIWS) for warships built in South Africa by Denel Land Systems. It is currently in service on the Valour-class frigates of the South African Navy.
Role
Its primary role is to ...
comparable South African CIWS
References
External links
Rheinmetall Defence information
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oerlikon Millennium 35 Mm Naval Revolver Gun System
Oerlikon-Contraves
35
Close-in weapon systems
Autocannon
35 mm artillery
Military equipment introduced in the 2000s