Editing Close-in weapon system (section)

{{short description|Type of point-defense weapon system}}
[[File:Кортик на корвете Стерегущий.jpg|alt=|thumb|300x300px|[[Kashtan CIWS]]]]
A '''close-in weapon system''' ('''CIWS''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|iː|w|ɪ|z}} {{respell|SEE|wiz}})<ref>{{cite book|last1=Friedman|first1=Norman|title=The Naval Institute guide to world naval weapons systems, 1991/92|date=1991|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, MD|isbn=0870212885|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1-cdAQAACAAJ|access-date=13 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214102024/https://books.google.ca/books/about/The_Naval_Institute_Guide_to_World_Naval.html?id=1-cdAQAACAAJ&redir_esc=y|archive-date=14 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> is a [[point-defense]] [[weapon system]] for detecting and destroying short-range incoming [[missile]]s and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses, typically mounted on a [[Navy|naval]] ship. Nearly all classes of larger modern [[warship]]s are equipped with some kind of CIWS device.

There are two types of CIWS systems. A gun-based CIWS usually consists of a combination of [[radar]]s, computers, and rapid-firing [[multiple-barrel]] [[rotary cannon]]s placed on a rotating [[gun turret|turret]].  Missile-based CIWSs use either [[infra-red]], [[passive radar]]/[[electronic support measures|ESM]], or [[semi-active radar homing|semi-active radar]] [[terminal guidance]] to guide missiles to the targeted enemy aircraft or other threats.  In some cases, CIWS are used on land to protect military bases.  In this case, the CIWS can also protect the base from shell and rocket fire.