Editing Phalanx CIWS (section)

===Iran–Iraq War===
[[File:USS Stark.jpg|thumb|right|''Stark'' listing after being hit.]]
{{see also|USS Stark (FFG-31)#Missile attack}}
On 17 May 1987, during the [[Iran–Iraq War]], which the US was observing as a non-combatant, an Iraqi [[Dassault Mirage F1]] fighter<ref name="DoD_report">[https://web.archive.org/web/20120323222902/http://www.dod.gov/pubs/foi/operation_and_plans/USS_Liberty_Pueblo_Stark/65rev.pdf Formal Investigation into the Circumstances Surrounding the Attack of the USS Stark in 1987]</ref> fired two [[Exocet|Exocet missiles]] at what was deemed to be a suitable target, but was the American [[frigate]] {{USS|Stark|FFG-31|6}}.

The Phalanx CIWS remained in standby mode and the [[Mark 36 SRBOC]] countermeasures were not armed, as no attack had been expected. Both missiles struck the [[port side]] of the ship near the bridge. 37 United States Navy personnel were killed and 21 wounded. [[Ba'athist Iraq|Iraq]] apologized and paid compensation for this unintentional attack.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.jag.navy.mil/library/investigations/USS%20STARK%20BASIC.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.jag.navy.mil/library/investigations/USS%20STARK%20BASIC.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=dead |title= DOD Letter, Subject: Formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack on the USS Stark (FFG-31) on 17 May 1987 |date= 3 September 1987 |access-date= 28 July 2020}}</ref>