American sailors showed a funny and creepy video of communication with the ominous Mark 15 Phalanx CIWS anti-aircraft system, which aimed at a passing Boeing 737 aircraft

A video appeared on social networks filmed by American sailors on board a ship equipped with

anti-aircraft complex Mark 15 Phalanx CIWS. The military dissuaded the air defense system from attacking an aircraft flying in the sky.

What is known

The video shows the Whidbey-class landing craftIsland or Harpers Ferry. The Mark 15 Phalanx CIWS complex installed on board spotted a flying Boeing 737 aircraft and pointed its guns at it. The sailors who were nearby shouted to him "No ... No ... No!".

intrusive thoughts pic.twitter.com/8mZfOwXESD

— ToastyNarwhals (@NarwhalsToasty) May 17, 2023

It is worth noting that Phalanx is oftenan object of ridicule. This is due to the appearance and abrupt movements of the installation. Sailors often joke about his appearance and irritable nature. Below you can see how the complex was turned into a R2-D2 robot, Santa Claus and a minion.

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Even the Phalanx CIWS can get into the holidayspirit. Santa CIWS protected USS Port Royal in 2011, and Frosty the CIWS guarded HMCS Charlottetown in 2018. Santa and Frosty could each spit 4,500 armor-piercing tungsten penetrator rounds per minute at anyone on the naughty list. pic.twitter.com/13tfRXB6WF

— U.S. Naval Institute (@NavalInstitute) December 22, 2021

#CIWS Surnommé R2-D2 mon droïde préféré de #StarWars ou encore #Dalek en référence aux ennemis jurés du dernier Seigneur du Temps #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/VgxqVwn9y0

— Philippe Top-Action (@top_force) June 25, 2017

#CIWS #Banana #Minion pic.twitter.com/PQGrB6dpzm

— Fighting Sailor ⚔️ ????️⚡ (@fightingsailor) October 12, 2019

As for the overflying aircraft, they, throughoutApparently, the P-8 Poseidon of the US Navy, built on the basis of the Boeing 737, was a P-8 Poseidon. Naturally, the Phalanx system did not pose a real danger to the aircraft. However, there are less funny stories in the history of the anti-aircraft complex.

Mark 15 Phalanx CIWS can operate in fullautomatic mode. In this case, the system itself selects targets and hits them at its discretion. During Operation Desert Storm, a Phalanx mounted on the frigate USS Jarett fired on the battleship USS Missouri, launching a burst of 20 mm armor-piercing shells at it. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

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During the existence of the Mark 15 Phalanx CIWS wasmodernized. Modern versions of the anti-aircraft system are equipped with an array of cameras that help it visually identify targets before opening fire on them.