The U.S. Navy equipped the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Carl M. Levin with a previously unseen short-range missile launcher. This system provides a layered, affordable defense architecture designed to counter unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
The deployment occurs as U.S. forces enforce a naval blockade of Iran. The launcher provides rapid, 360-degree protection against drone swarm attacks in high-tension regions like the Strait of Hormuz.
This technology intercepts threats without expending expensive missiles from main vertical launch systems. Defense contractors including Lockheed Martin are developing similar compact systems to capitalize on this shift in naval armament.