Killer US Air Defense System Almost Takes Down a Civilian Plane - Caught on Camera

While nicknamed "R2-D2" after the Star Wars droid due to its distinctive barrel-shaped radome and automated nature, the Phalanx naval close-in weapon system is no playful toy. It's a relentless sentinel, automatically detecting, evaluating, tracking, and engaging high-speed aerial threats, with extreme firepower. Its power is intimidating and walks a fine line between human oversight and machine autonomy. This feature is sometimes captured on camera. In a now-viral video from spring 2023, the scene opens with the Mk 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System, positioned on what seems to be a United States Navy Harpers Ferry or Whidbey Island-class vessel. The system's enormous barrel gun starts to swivel ominously, locking onto an unexpected target: a civilian 737 airliner. As the Phalanx tracks the plane, likely in semiautomatic mode, a voice rings out, calmly shouting, 'No, no, no!' Time appears to freeze as the hulking gun trails the airliner's path; then, the Phalanx stands down with a suddenness that mirrors its onset. The barrel lowers, the aircraft passes safely overhead, and an immediate crisis is defused. This unsettling footage from mid-May 2023 provides a startling look into the fragile boundary between automated defense and unintended consequences. It prompts a disquieting question: What happens when a machine built for warfare automatically fixes its gaze on a civilian target? --- Dark Footage showcases the most unbelievable photos and videos from history while telling the stories behind the camera. Featuring military, space, aircraft and real-life historic events caught on tape.