The AK-630 is a Soviet and Russian fully automatic naval, rotary cannon, close-in weapon system. The “630” designation refers to the weapon’s six gun barrels and their 30 mm caliber.The system is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by MR-123 fire-control radar and television detection and tracking. The weapon’s primary purpose is defense against aircraft and helicopters. As one of the tried-and-true CIWS systems available, effectiveness against anti-ship missiles has been demonstrated over the years in exercises,[12] making it the staple anti-air weapon of most Soviet naval vessels.The AK-630 can also be employed against ships and other small craft, coastal targets, and floating mines. Once operational, the system was rapidly adopted and installed in every new Soviet warship (from mine-hunters to aircraft carriers) with up to eight units on larger vessels; hundreds have been produced in total.A close-in weapon system (CIWS), often pronounced “sea-whiz”, is a point-defense weapon system for detecting and destroying short-range incoming missiles and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses, typically mounted shipboard in a naval capacity. Nearly all classes of modern warships are equipped with some kind of CIWS device.There are two types of CIWS systems. A gun-based CIWS usually consists of a combination of radars, computers, and multiple-barrel, rotary rapid-fire cannons placed on a rotating gun mount. Missile systems use infra-red, passive radar/ESM or semi-active radar terminal guidance to guide missiles to the targeted enemy aircraft or other threats. In some cases, CIWS are used on land to protect military bases. In this case, the CIWS can also protect the base from shell and rocket fire.