Point-defence

Point defence (or point defense; see spelling differences) is the defence of a single object or a limited area, e.g. a ship, building or an airfield, now usually against air attacks and guided missiles. ^[1] Point defence weapons have a smaller range in contrast to area-defence systems and are placed near or on the object to be protected.

Point defence may include:

• Short-ranged interceptor aircraft
• Close-in weapon systems (CIWS) on ships
• Land-based short-ranged anti-aircraft guns or surface-to-air missile systems
• Active protection systems on tanks or other armoured fighting vehicles

Coastal artillery to protect harbours is similar conceptually, but is generally not classified as point defence. Similarly, passive systems—electronic countermeasures, decoys, chaff, flares, barrage balloons—are not considered point defence.

Examples

Aircraft

• Bachem Ba 349 Natter – vertical take-off rocket powered crewed interceptor (prototypes only)
• Convair XF-92 – Later used as testbed for later projects.
• F-14 ADC – Proposed interceptor for the USAF Air Defense Command.
• Junkers EF 009 Hubjäger – Proposed interceptor with 10 radially placed turbojet engines.
• Messerschmitt Me 163 – World War II-era operational German rocket powered interceptor.
• NR-349 – Proposed Improved Manned Interceptor replacement for the F-101, F-102 and F-106. ^{[2] [3]}

Close-in weapons systems

• Goalkeeper CIWS – Gun CIWS in current service by the Dutch navy.
• Phalanx CIWS – 20 mm Vulcan cannon mounted on a swivelling base. Notably used on almost all major surface combatants of the US Navy. ^[4]
• Kashtan CIWS – Gun-Missile CIWS in current service by the Russian navy.
• Type 730 – in current use by the Chinese Navy.

Surface-to-air missile systems

• RIM-116 RAM – Missile CIWS in current use by the US Navy.
• Barak 1 – Israeli point defence missile. ^{[5] [6]}
• VL-SRSAM – Indian point and area defence missile. ^[7]

Active Protection Systems

• Arena APS – a Russian point defence system for individual armoured vehicles.
• Trophy APS - an Israeli APS in service with the IDF.

See also

• Index of aviation articles
• List of established military terms
• Zero-length launch
• List of government and military acronyms
• List of military tactics

References

1. Aldridge, Robert C. (1983). First Strike!: The Pentagon's Strategy for Nuclear War . South End Press. p.  192. ISBN   978-0-89608-154-3.
2. North American A/RA-5 Vigilante - MINI in action No. 3 by Terry Love, 1 Mar. 1995, ISBN   0897473345
3. Wings Of Fame Volume 19: Retaliator, Aerospace Products Company Publishing LTD ISBN   9781861840493
4. NAVY PEO (SHIPS) WASHINGTON NAVY YARD DC (2013-12-01). "LPD 17 San Antonio Class Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD 17)". Fort Belvoir, VA. doi:10.21236/ada614841.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
5. "IAI Rafael Barak 1 SAM Missile short-range air defense". www.seaforces.org. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
6. "Israel Aerospace Barak-1 Interceptors Demolish Four Target Missiles". Defense Daily. 2008-11-03. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
7. Rout, Hemant Kumar (2025-03-27). "Surface-to-air missile VL-SRSAM successfully flight-tested by DRDO". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2025-03-27.