Profile
- Type
- Land-based close-in weapon system
- Conflict side
- United States
- Origin
- United States
- Service note
- 2005-present
Air Defense
Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar system / C-RAM
Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar system (C-RAM), also known as the land-based Phalanx Weapon System, is a U.S. fixed-site air-defense suite built around a 20 mm rapid-fire gun, sensors, and fire control to intercept rockets, mortars, and small drones. In the United States-Iran Conflict, U.S. forces used it around Baghdad to defend a diplomatic facility against drone and rocket attacks.
- Conflict side
- United States
- Built by
- Raytheon Missiles & Defense
- Built in
- United States
Service History
- In service
- Fielded by the U.S. Army for point defense against rockets, artillery, mortars, and small drones.
- Used by
- United States Army
- Wars
- United States-Iran Conflict
Production History
- Built by
- Raytheon Missiles & Defense
- Built in
- United States
- Variants
- Land-based Phalanx Weapon System (LPWS)
Specifications
- Gun
- 20 mm six-barrel Gatling gun
- Rate of fire
- 4,500 rounds per minute
- Mount
- Lowboy trailer-mounted land adaptation of the Navy Phalanx
- Mission
- Detects and counters rockets, artillery, mortar rounds, and small drones
Conflict Usage
- United States-Iran Conflict
- Side: United StatesRole: Fixed-site counter-drone and counter-indirect-fire defense
U.S. forces used C-RAM in the United States-Iran Conflict to defend a U.S. diplomatic facility near Baghdad International Airport after security sources said at least three explosive drones targeted the site and activated the air-defense system.
Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar system / C-RAM Images
Related Weapon Systems
Coyote counter-UAS interceptor / droneCounter-UAS interceptor droneThe Coyote is a combat-proven, rail-launched counter-UAS effector from RTX/Raytheon. In the United States-Iran Conflict, U.S. forces used it to help defend Gulf air bases against short-range drone attacks, while the family continues to evolve into launched-effects variants.
Merops counter-drone interceptorCounter-drone interceptor systemMerops is a U.S.-developed mobile counter-drone interceptor from Perennial Autonomy that launches small autonomous drones from a truck-mounted system. Combat-tested in Ukraine and rapidly fielded to the Middle East as the United States-Iran Conflict escalated, it gave U.S. forces a lower-cost way to counter Iranian drones.
Mesbah 123 mm anti-aircraft gun systemMesbah 1 is an Iranian short-range anti-aircraft gun system built around 23 mm autocannons, radar, and optical guidance for low-altitude threats. Open reporting describes it as part of Iran's gun-based air-defense layer against cruise missiles, helicopters, and drones, with production starting in 2010.
Mutabar-1 improvised air-defense systemImprovised short-range air-defense systemThe Mutabar-1 is Hamas's locally manufactured improvised air-defense system, publicly revealed in October 2023 and associated with attempts to engage low-flying Israeli aircraft and drones during the Israel-Hamas War.
Stunner interceptorMissile interceptorThe Stunner interceptor is the hit-to-kill missile used by David's Sling, Israel's medium-range air-defense layer co-developed by Rafael and Raytheon. During the Israel-Hamas War, the IDF said David's Sling used the system to intercept a surface-to-air missile fired toward an Israeli Air Force UAV operating in Lebanon, underscoring its role in layered air defense against rockets, missiles, and drones.
AN/TPQ-53 multimission radarMobile multimission counterfire and air-surveillance radarThe AN/TPQ-53 is a Lockheed Martin mobile active electronically scanned array radar originally fielded for counterfire target acquisition and later adapted for multimission sensing. In the United States-Iran Conflict, reporting on Operation Epic Fury credited the radar with ground-based tracking of rockets, missiles, and unmanned systems inside joint sensor networks.Sources
RTX Phalanx Weapon SystemPublisher: RTX | Note: Supports Phalanx background, the land-based Army role, and the system's rapid-fire radar-guided close-in defense mission. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Army BOLC C-RAM overviewPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports the land-based C-RAM adaptation, Army fielding, and the original Phalanx-derived counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar role. | Accessed: 2026-06-20DoW LPWS contract noticePublisher: U.S. Department of War | Note: Supports the Land-Based Phalanx Weapon System variant, Raytheon production responsibility, and the 20 mm gun's 4,500 rounds per minute specification. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Al-Monitor Baghdad attack reportPublisher: Al-Monitor | Note: Supports United States-Iran Conflict direct conflict-use: U.S. forces used C-RAM to defend a U.S. diplomatic facility near Baghdad International Airport after drone and rocket attacks. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Commons PACFIRE imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and public-domain licensing for a 2025 U.S. Army Land-based Phalanx Weapon System firing photo. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Commons Bagram imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and public-domain licensing for a 2014 U.S. Army C-RAM photo at Bagram Air Field. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Commons deployment imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and public-domain licensing for a 2017 U.S. Army Land-based Phalanx Weapon System image. | Accessed: 2026-06-20