| Mk 41 vertical launching system | |
|---|---|
 A single 8-cell Mk 41 VLS module fitted to New Zealand frigateHMNZS Te Kaha | |
| Type | Missile launching system |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1986–present |
| Used by | United States Navy Royal Navy |
| Wars | Cold War Tanker War Gulf War Kosovo War War on terror Red Sea crisis |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1970s |
| Manufacturer | Martin Marietta Lockheed Martin |
| Variants | Mk 57 Mk 70 Mod 1 |
TheMark 41 vertical launching system (Mk 41 VLS) is a shipborne missile canister launching system which provides a rapid-fire launch capability against hostile threats.[1] Thevertical launching system (VLS) concept was derived from work on theAegis Combat System.[2]
Refinement of the initial concept of Aegis system in the 1960s continued through the 1960s and 1970s, and the Mk 41 was conceived in 1976.[2] Originally, the system was only intended to fire theRIM-66 Standard missile, but the height of the Mk 41 was increased to accommodate the largerTomahawk missile.[2] The prototype for the launcher was tested and evaluated on boardUSS Norton Sound. The first operational launcher was installed aboardUSS Bunker Hill.[2]
On 12 October 2016,USS Mason (DDG-87) was targeted by missiles fired from Yemeni territory while operating in theBab-el-Mandeb strait.[3]Mason was not hit by the two missiles, which were fired from near the city ofAl Hudaydah.[3] While the Navy is not certain whether the first incoming missile was intercepted or it just fell into the sea, officials claimMason successfully intercepted the second missile at a distance of about 8 miles (13 km),[4] marking the first time in history a warship destroyed an inbound anti-ship missile with a SAM in actual self-defense and the first time the Mk41 VLS did so.
The missiles are pre-loaded into canisters, which are then loaded into the individual cells of the launcher. A cell may have one, two, or four missiles, depending on the missile's diameter. Several models of missiles are integrated into the Mk 41 and Mk 57 systems through the Host Extensible Launch System (ExLS) developed by Lockheed Martin.[5]
Mk 41 is fitted to ships in 8 cell modules which are arranged as two rows of four. As Mk 41 is ahot launch system, it also features a common exhaust plenum in each module to redirect the exhaust gases upwards out of the ship, exiting between the two rows.[2] A water deluge system is also fitted for safety, wetting down canisters in event that excessive temperatures are detected.[6] The use of canisters in combination with its availability in three different lengths enables a large variety of ships to be equipped with Mk 41 despite having different use cases. VLS-equippedTiconderoga-class cruisers along with Flight I and Flight IIArleigh Burke-class destroyers andKongo-class destroyers have Strikedown modules located both fore and aft, andIroquois-class destroyers after theTRUMP modernization had a Strikedown module located fore. These modules consist of five cells and a collapsible crane forreloading missiles while underway. This proved to be impractical and dangerous, leading to Strikedown modules being abandoned in the latter half of the 1990s.[2]
| Module Type | Self Defense | Tactical | Strike |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cells | 8 | ||
| Missiles per Cell | 1, 2 or 4 | ||
| Width | 11 ft 3 in (3.43 m) | ||
| Length | 8 ft 7 in (2.62 m) | ||
| Height | 17 ft 5 in (5.31 m) | 22 ft 2 in (6.76 m) | 25 ft 3 in (7.7 m) |
| Weight | 26,800 lb (12,200 kg) | 29,800 lb (13,500 kg) | 32,000 lb (15,000 kg) |
| Maximum canister width | 2 ft 1.12 in (63.80 cm) | ||
| Maximum canister height | 19 feet (5.8 m) | 22 feet (6.7 m) | |
The Mk 41 is capable of firing the following missiles (height and pack count indicated where possible):[10][2][11][5]
The Mk 57 Peripheral Vertical Launch System (PVLS) used on theZumwalt-classdestroyers is composed of much larger VLS cells capable of venting much larger volume and mass of exhaust gasses (mass flow rate), but is an evolution of the smaller unarmored Mk 56 VLS. The Mk 57 PVLS are designed to be installed on the ship periphery with armor on the inboard boundary, instead of in centralized magazines used in the Mk 41.
Developed byRaytheon, Mk 57 providesbackward compatibility with existing missiles while allowing new missiles with significantly increased propulsion and payloads. While allowing for larger missiles than the Mk 41, the primary improvement of Mk 57 is its exhaust gas management system which can accommodate new missile designs having up to 45 percent greater rocket motor mass flow rate than that of Mk 41.[21] The unique symmetric geometry of the U-shaped gas management system facilitates the egress of gases, while minimizing flow into adjacent cells and reversed flow into the active cell. Another advantage is the elimination of the water deluge system, which is used to cool the missile canister in the event that the missile restraint bolts do not release after rocket motor ignition. Elimination of the water deluge system significantly reduces maintenance and personnel requirements, and protects against accidental missile wet-down.
| Missiles | 4 cells |
|---|---|
| Width | 7.25 ft (2.21 m) |
| Length | 14.2 ft (4.3 m) |
| Height | 26 ft (7.9 m) |
| Weight | 33,600 lb (15,200 kg) |
| Maximum canister width | 28 in (0.71 m) |
| Maximum canister length | 283 in (7.2 m) |
| Maximum canistered weight | 9,020 lb (4,090 kg) |
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Smaller ships may use a Mk 48 VLS or Mk 56 VLS to launch theRIM-162 ESSM, and Mk 48 is also capable of firingRIM-7 Sea Sparrow. Each canister for Mk 48 hosts one RIM-7 or two RIM-162s, whereas each canister for Mk 56 holds a single RIM-162. These systems are sold in cell counts ranging from two to 16 for Mk 48 and four to 32 for Mk 56s: the smaller modules provide more versatility.[26][27]
US Submarines use a Mk 45 VLS.[28]
_aboard_the_guided_missile_cruiser_USS_San_Jacinto_(CG_56).jpg)
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_inspect_the_MK_41_Vertical_Launching_System_(VLS)_for_water_to_prevent_electrical_failure.jpg)
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