Goalkeeper CIWS

Goalkeeper CIWS
Goalkeeper CIWS on a British Invincible-class aircraft carrier
Type	Close In Weapons System
Place of origin	Netherlands
Service history
In service	1980–present
Used by	See operators
Production history
Designer	Signaal (now Thales Nederland)
Designed	1975
Manufacturer	Thales Naval Netherlands
Produced	1979
Specifications
Weight	6,372 kg (14,048 lb) with 1,190 rds of ammunition (above deck); 9,902 kg (21,830 lb) (total), assuming 1g.
Height	3.71 m (above deck) 6.2 m (including deck penetration).
Crew	Automated, with human oversight
Shell	30×173mm TP, HEI, MPDS, or FMPDS
Caliber	30 mm
Barrels	7-barrel (progressive RH parabolic twist, 14 grooves)
Elevation	+85 to −25 degrees at 80 degree/s
Traverse	Unlimited
Rate of fire	70 rounds/second (4,200 rounds/minute)
Muzzle velocity	1,109 m/s (MPDS round)
Effective firing range	350 to between 1,500 and 2,000 meters dependent on ammunition
Main armament	1 x GAU-8/A Avenger 30 mm seven-barrel Gatling gun

Goalkeeper is a Dutch close-in weapon system (CIWS) introduced in 1979 and in use as of 2017^[update]. It is an autonomous and completely automatic weapon system for short-range defence of ships against highly maneuverable missiles, aircraft and fast maneuvering surface vessels. Once activated the system automatically undertakes the entire air defense process from surveillance and detection to destruction, including selection of the next priority target.

Development of the system began in 1975 with Holland-Signaal (now Thales Nederland) working with General Dynamics, which supplied the GAU-8 gun. A prototype, the EX-83, was first demonstrated to the Royal Netherlands Navy in 1979.

In 2012 the Dutch ministry of defense announced that the Goalkeeper systems in use by the Netherlands Navy will receive radar upgrades, mechanical improvements, new high-precision frangible ammunition and a new electro-optical tracking system. Also the system's surface mode will be improved to counter high speed boats and fast attack craft. These upgrades will make the system more capable to defend ships against the latest threats such as modern anti-ship missiles, more effective in littoral environments and less vulnerable to malfunctions. It also expands the life of the system to at least 2025. The first of 16 systems will be upgraded and tested by Thales Nederland, the others at the naval base in Den Helder.

Goalkeeper has two radar sub-systems, one to find threats and another to track and engage them, which operate together to identify and prioritise targets, and engage the highest priority one.

The 2D I band search radar, which can handle up to 18 targets at once, generates a threat picture which the gun system uses to identify and prioritize threats. The system has identify friend or foe (IFF) functionality to rule out friendly traces. The tracking radar operates in both I band and K band to enable quick acquisition on the threat bearing. Data from both the I band and K band return signals indicate target range and can be used to identify, and respond to the use of, electronic countermeasures (ECM). The dual band system also reduces the effect of clutter, which can mask the target at low altitude. A camera system on the assembly provides a visual fallback for the system operator.