It been learned that earlier this month two suicide drones were
shot down over a base near Baghdad, where US troops are stationed.
Centurion C-RAM (Counter rocket, artillery, and mortar) is a
counter to the drone menace and has effectively neutralized the threat.
The attack targeted the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center (BDSC) located on the Baghdad
International Airport property. This is a U.S. Department of State facility. While
some military units and activities are hosted at the facility, but it is not a military base.
Drone technology has proliferated and being cheap to acquire
have made it a weapon of choice for many militant group around the world.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes how Centurion C-RAM system
is proving its metal ? Let's get into the details.
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US troops are leading an international coalition fighting Islamic State [IS] in Iraq and Syria.
Though combat mission officially ended at the end of 2021, but they still have
to carry out a consultative and training mission.
Viewers may note that the timeline of the attack coincides with the date of
assassination of General Qassem Suleimani, one of Iran’s most influential commanders,
who was killed by US forces on January 3, 2020.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had announced that he would take revenge for the assassination of
Suleimani if ​​former President Donald Trump and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
are not brought to justice over the decision to launch the deadly attack on General Suleimani.
Notably, the wreckage of the drones had the slogan “Soleimani’s revenge” on the wings of one,
“Revenge operations for our leaders” on the other.
The Centurion is a land-based variant of Phalanx Close In-Weapon Systems mounted on U.S. Navy
warships, intended to serve as a last-ditch defense against incoming anti-ship missiles.
Seeking a solution to continual rocket and mortar attacks on bases in Iraq,
the U.S. Army requested a quick-to-field anti-projectile system in May 2004,
as part of its Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar initiative.
The end result of this program was the "Centurion".
For all intents and purposes a terrestrial version of the Navy's
CIWS, the Centurion was rapidly developed, with a proof-of-concept test in November that same year.
Deployment to Iraq began in 2005, where it was set up to protect
forward operating bases and other high-value sites in and around the capital, Baghdad.
In 2008, there were more than 20 Centurion systems protecting bases in the U.S. Central
Command area of operations. A Raytheon spokesman told the Navy Times that 105 attacks were defeated
by the systems, most of them involving mortars. Based on the success of Centurion,
23 additional systems were ordered in September 2008.
The self-contained trailer-based system consists of a modified Phalanx 1B CIWS,
powered by an attached generator and mounted on a trailer for mobility. Including the same
20 mm M61A1 Gatling gun, the unit is likewise capable of firing 4,500 20–mm rounds per minute.
The M61 Vulcan is a hydraulically, electrically or pneumatically driven, six-barrel, air-cooled,
electrically fired Gatling-style rotary cannon. The M61 was originally produced by General
Electric. After several mergers and acquisitions, it is currently produced by General Dynamics.
Like the 1B naval version of Phalanx, Centurion uses Ku-band radar and FLIR
or Forward-looking infrared cameras to detect and track incoming projectiles.
Viewers may note that the Ku band is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum
in the microwave range of frequencies from 12 to 18 gigahertz (GHz).
Importantly Centurion is also capable of engaging surface targets,
with the system able to reach a minus-25-degree elevation.
The system can autonomously detect and engage threats.
Centurion is reportedly capable of defending a 0.5 sq mi or 1.3 km2 area.
One major difference between the land- and sea-based variants is the choice of
ammunition. Whereas naval Phalanx systems fire tungsten armor-piercing rounds, the Centurion
uses the 20–mm HEIT-SD (High-Explosive Incendiary Tracer, Self-Destruct)
ammunition, originally developed for the M163 Vulcan Air Defense System.
These rounds explode on impact with the target, or on tracer burnout,
thereby greatly reducing the risk of collateral damage from rounds that fail to hit their target.
US military has the largest number of oversea bases
and many of them are located in places that are vulnerable to strike by drones.
The particular strike also brings into focus the kind of challenges
U.S bases around the world may have to deal with - troops could be killed and multi-million dollar
aircraft can be rendered useless with small and basic primitive drones.
Centurion C-RAM is proving to be a robust system
Multiple incoming shots can be targeted, tracked,
prioritized, and eliminated before they hit the ground and inflict damage. It can also
provide a warning system for nearby forces enabling them to take cover.
It is also much cheaper than missile equipped air defense system like Patriot.
While US military is working on multiple laser weapons system for counter drone role,
Centurion C-RAM will be the go-to system till they become fully operational.