U.S. Navy sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) carried out a live-fire exercise with the ship’s RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile weapons systems and Phalanx Close-In Weapons System on November 2.
Carl Vinson fired at two drones using the ship’s aft RAM launcher and fired the CIWS as part of a pre-aim calibration firing evolution during the carrier strike group’s composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX), a series of drills designed to prepare a ship’s crew for deployment.
During the RAM live-fire portion of the exercise, Team Vinson successfully tracked and engaged two targets, and fired two missiles.
The CIWS PAC fire served a dual purpose — allowing Carl Vinson Sailors to perform a maintenance check, as well as readying the mounts for a rogue drone situation, according to Smith.
“The firing exercise tested the strike group’s entire self-defense capability, from the radars to the missile systems and everyone operating them,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Kelly Smith , the defensive weapons coordinator for the exercise. “We also verified the ship’s self-defense capabilities to track and engage a threat.”
“If we’re under attack, today’s evolutions prove we can defend ourselves against an air strike,” concluded Smith.