Automated Gatling Gun at US' Iraq Embassy Unloads During Rocket Attack

Sunday night, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, responded to an eight-rocket attack on the city's diplomatic International Green Zone when its automated defense mechanism booted in. 

Minor damage to the embassy was caused and there were no injuries or casualties within the U.S. embassy, as it stated on its Facebook page.

The rocket attack injured at least one Iraqi soldier reported CNN, and a number of cars and buildings were damaged. The incident is being called a "terrorist attack" led by "an outlawed group" stated a spokesperson from the Presidency of the Republic of Iraq in an issued statement.

SEE ALSO: SIMULATED VIDEO REVEALS LOCKHEED MARTIN'S IMPRESSIVE MISSILE SYSTEM

The U.S. embassy's Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) system kicked into gear when it sensed the eight overhead rockets, explained Popular Mechanics. It even opened fire a number of times, shooting bursts of 20-millimeter high-explosive incendiary tracer, self-destruct ammunition (HEIT-SD). 

Rocket attack on Baghdad's Green Zone last night. Multiple C-RAM bursts lighting up the sky as rockets impact around the area. I edited together a few videos to highlight the terrifying nature of the event. pic.twitter.com/r3A6mq7Si0

— Hugo Kaaman (@HKaaman) December 21, 2020

The C-RAM acted exactly as it was intended to, as it's designed to protect U.S. forces from enemy fire. 

Harkening from the U.S. Navy's Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon System), it's a point defense system used as a last resort. A Phalanx system is made up of an M61 20-millimeter Gatling gun and a radar system — it's typically used on warships to defend them from firing aircraft, missiles, drones, and sometimes other boats. 

C-RAM, in comparisoin to CIWS, is used on the ground, and uses high explosive incendiary rounds to blast enemy projectiles mid-air. 

Footage of the moment looked dramatic, as most rockets and mid-air explosions do, but there's no clear sign of anything being hit. A number of explosions can be seen and heard, but not much else.