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The 1967 sinking of the Israeli destroyer Eliat by a SS-N-2 Styx cruise missile greatly increased international interest in defense against such weapons. Existing destroyers and cruisers with long range guided missile systems were one obvious answer. But the problem was, such systems were far to expensive to build in the numbers needed. And such systems were vulnerable to being overwhelmed by a saturation attack, where the enemy simply launched so many missiles that some where bound to get through.

A couple of different answers to the problem arose. First, more ECM and chaff launchers for surface combatants.

Second, lightweight, short range guided missile systems were mounted on a variety of ships. Such missiles include the British Sea Cat and the US Sea Sparrow.

But even then, there remained a desire to counter a threat detected at the very last moment.

In the US Navy, this lead to the development of the Phalanx Close In Weapon System, or CIWS. A radar aimed 20mm gatling gun would send a stream of bullets to any incoming cruise missile.

The loss of HMS Sheffield in 1992 convinced the Royal Navy that they too needed  a CIWS system. While some RN ships would eventually carry Phalanx, they also looked to the Dutch, who were developing and fielding a CIWS system built around the massive GAU-8 Avenger cannon that is famous for being the main armament of the A-10 Warthog.

The GAU-8, mounted on a General Electric EX-83 gun mount, and coupled with Dutch radar systems would eventually reach the ships of several European navies as Goalkeeper.

Here’s a look at a demonstration of the gun in action, while a possible short ranged land based air defense variant was being pitched.