Dutch Navy To Upgrade Close-In Weapons System

Thales has won a contract from the Dutch navy to upgrade 16 Goalkeeper Close-In Weapon Systems, enabling their continued operation until 2025. Thales Netherlands, manufacturer of the system, said it will begin upgrade work in 2015. Upgrades will include new algorithms and state-of-the-art, electro-optic tracking capabilities to enable the gun system to successfully engage the latest generation of missiles. Under the contract, Thales will modify the first of the 16 systems. The Dutch navy will perform the other modifications. Goalkeeper is an autonomous and fully automatic system that detects, tracks and destroys several targets simultaneously. The high-rate-of-fire from its 30mm Gatling gun and special ammunition give it the capability of to destroy missile warheads as well as aircraft and vessels.