The newly designed Advanced Gun System is a staple of the Navy’s USS Zumwalt vessel, one of its newest and most advanced warships to date. It can host weapons that fire 155-millimeter bullets, which can penetrate through just about any armor. It has a much longer range than the Standard Gun, reaching distances up to three times further.
The Advanced Gun System fires rocket-powered, computer-guided shells that destroy anything in their path. Combining the U.S. Navy’s next-generation of destroyers, the USS Zumwalt, and the Advanced Gun System, helped America’s military create an extremely reliable and formidable defense system that deters most of its enemies.
A Standard Missile
Standard Missile can easily sink ships, shoot down aircraft, and even destroy ballistic and cruise missiles in mid-air. Standard missiles come in a variety of models, with the most popular one being the RIM-66 Standard. An upgraded version, the RIM-67, features a much longer effective range than the regular one.
Standard missiles were first developed back in the early '60s with the purpose of replacing some of their less effective counterparts. The RIM-66 Standard missiles are the latest version of these ballistic weapons, and are used by most of the United States, and allied European countries.
The Tomahawk Cruise Missile
Tomahawk Cruise missiles weigh almost 3,000 pounds and have a reach of up to 1,550 miles. They are mostly used against surface targets and can reach a speed of 550 miles per hour. These missiles are potent and lethal, which is why the U.S. Military uses them often. Tomahawk Cruise missiles can carry various different warheads, including nuclear ones.
Their immense range and highly accurate GPS systems make them an ideal Navy weapon. Despite the Navy’s frequent use of Tomahawks, they have a great track record of almost unintended zero casualties, thanks to their ever-decreasing margin of error.
A Laser Weapon System
The Laser Weapon System is currently being co-developed by the U.S. Navy and Boeing, and can fry sensors, burn motors, and detonate explosive materials. The laser system does this by shooting a laser directly at targets, overheating them in the process. The system was recently reported as being able to shoot down UAVs and fry boat motors in less than two seconds.
Although just one of these has been officially produced, it’s already proving to be an extremely cost effective solution, with each laser shot costing 99.999% less than the average missile. The Navy is currently working on lasers that are ten times stronger than the ones we've mentioned above. Yikes!
The CBU-100 Cluster Bomb
CBU-100 Cluster Bombs are basically the shotgun bomb of the U.S. Navy and are used to destroy armored vehicles. After being launched, they begin falling towards their target. When a collision is imminent a spring opens, dispensing many small bomblets that weigh 1.3 pounds each and are mounted with explosive warheads.
Each bomblet’s produces 250,000 PSI on point of impact, effectively penetrating up to 7.5 inches of armor plating. CBU-100 Cluster bombs are mostly used to destroy multiple highly armored threats in open areas. They were used mostly during Operation Desert Shield, when more than 15,000 of these were dropped on enemy units.