Mark 41 vertical launching system

History

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. Originally, the system was only intended to fire the RIM-66 Standard missile, but the height of the Mk 41 was increased to accommodate the larger Tomahawk missile. The prototype for the launcher was tested and evaluated on board . The first operational launcher was installed aboard .

Combat history

On 12 October 2016, was targeted by missiles fired from Yemeni territory while operating in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. Mason was not hit by the two missiles, which were fired from near the city of Al Hudaydah. While the Navy is not certain whether the first incoming missile was intercepted or it just fell into the sea, officials claim Mason successfully intercepted the second missile at a distance of about 8 mi, 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.

Specifications

Mark 41 (Mk 41)

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.

Mk 41 is fitted to ships in 8 cell modules which are arranged as two rows of four. As Mk 41 is a hot 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. A water deluge system is also fitted for safety, wetting down canisters in event that excessive temperatures are detected. 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-equipped Ticonderoga-class cruisers along with Flight I and Flight II Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Kongo-class destroyers have Strikedown modules located both fore and aft, and Iroquois-class destroyers after the TRUMP modernization had a Strikedown module located fore. These modules consist of five cells and a collapsible crane for reloading missiles while underway. This proved to be impractical and dangerous, leading to Strikedown modules being abandoned in the latter half of the 1990s.

The Mk 41 is capable of firing the following missiles (height and pack count indicated where possible):

Surface-to-air

• RIM-66 Standard MR (tactical)
• RIM-156 Standard ER (strike)
• RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 (strike)
• RIM-174 Standard ERAM / SM-6 (strike)
• RIM-7 Sea Sparrow (self defense)
• RIM-162 ESSM (self defense, 4-pack, incompatible with older versions of 8-cell modules)
• CAMM (CAMM, CAMM-ER, CAMM-MR) (self defense, ExLS; 4-pack for CAMM and CAMM-ER, likely 2-pack for CAMM-MR)
• RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (Block 2) (self defense, ExLS 4-pack)
• Type 23 ship-to-air missile
• MIM-104 (PAC-3 MSE) (tactical)

Surface-to-surface

• RGM-109 Tomahawk (strike)
• Joint Strike Missile (tactical)
• RGM-179 JAGM (self defense, ExLS 4-pack)
• LRASM BTV (strike)

Anti-submarine

• RUM-125 Sea Lance
• RUM-139 VL-ASROC (tactical)
• Type 07 vertical-launch anti-submarine rocket (tactical)

Decoy

• Nulka (self defense, ExLS 4-pack)

Mark 57 (Mk 57) PVLS

The Mk 57 Peripheral Vertical Launch System (PVLS) used on the s 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 by Raytheon, Mk 57 provides backward 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. 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.

Variants

• MK 41 Mod 0, s, two 61 cell Vertical Launcher Mk 158 Mod 0 or Mod 1, forward and aft.
• MK 41 Mod 1, s, 61 cells forward.
• MK 41 Mod 2, s, DDG-51 to DDG-78, one 29 cell Vertical Launcher Mk 159 Mod 0 forward, one 61 cell Vertical Launcher Mk 158 Mod 0 aft.
• MK 41 Mod unknown, Constellation-class frigates, 32 cells.
• MK 41 Mod unknown, Álvaro de Bazán-class frigates (Spain), 48 cells.
• MK 41 Mod unknown, Deveselu Military Base
• MK 41 Mod 3, s (Germany), 16 cells.
• MK 41 Mod 5, s (Australia, New Zealand), 8 cells
• MK 41 Mod 7, Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, DDG-79 to DDG-91, one 32 cell Vertical Launcher Mk 177 Mod 0 forward, one 64 cell Vertical Launcher Mk 176 Mod 0 aft.
• MK 41 Mod 8, s (Turkey), 8 or 16 cells
• MK 41 Mod 9, s (Netherlands), 40 cells
• MK 41 Mod 10, s (Germany), 32 cells
• MK 41 Mod 15, Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, DDG-92 and up, one 32 cell Vertical Launcher Mk 177 Mod 3 forward, one 64 cell Vertical Launcher Mk 176 Mod 2 aft.
• MK 41 Mod 16, s (Australia), 8 cells
• MK 70 Mod 1, containerized four-cell launcher
• Long-Range Missile (LMSL) Battery, containerized single cell launcher on a US Marine Corps ROGUE- Fires JLTV vehicle

Operators

;

• Adelaide-class frigate - (8 cells) (Retired)
• Anzac-class frigate - (8 cells)
• • (48 cells)
• • (32 cells)

;

• • (29 cells) (Retired)
• River-class destroyer - (24 cells)

;

• ** - (8 cells)

;

• • (32 cells)

;

• • (8 or 16 cells)

;Germany

• Sachsen-class frigate - (32 cells)
• Brandenburg-class frigate - (16 cells)
• F126 frigate (16 cells)

;Japan

• • (96 cells)
• • (96 cells)
• • (90 cells)
• • (16 cells)
• • (16 cells)
• • (32 cells)
• • (32 cells)
• • (32 cells)
• • (16 cells)
• • (8 cells)

;

• De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate - (40 cells)

;

• • (8 or 16 cells)

;South Korea

• (KDX-II) - (32 cells)
• (KDX-III) - (80 cells)

;Spain

• • (48 cells)
• F110-class frigate - (16 cells)

;

• Kaohsiung-class tank landing ship - (Test ship)

;

• Naresuan-class frigate - (8 cells)
• Bhumibol Adulyadej-class frigate - (8 cells)

;

• • (8 cells)
• Barbaros-class frigate - (16 cells)

;

• Type 26 frigate - (24 cells)
• Type 31 frigate - (32 cells)

;United States

• Spruance-class destroyer - (61 cells, installed on 24 of 31 vessels) (Retired)
• Arleigh Burke-class destroyer - (90 or 96 cells)
• Ticonderoga-class cruiser - (122 cells)
• • (80 Mk 57 cells)
• Constellation-class frigate - (32 Mk 41 cells)
• DDG(X) class destroyer - (At minimum up to 128 cells (4x32 module configuration), dependent on number of hypersonic missiles carried as per current US Navy design proposal)

Other American VLS

Smaller ships may use a Mk 48 VLS or Mk 56 VLS to launch the RIM-162 ESSM, and Mk 48 is also capable of firing RIM-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.

US Submarines use a Mk 45 VLS.

Gallery

File:US Navy 030303-N-3235P-503 A topside view of the forward MK-41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) aboard the guided missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56).jpg|The VLS cells onboard . File:US Navy 050110-N-9851B-056 Sailors aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) stabilize a crate containing a Tomahawk cruise missile.jpg|A Tomahawk missile canister being loaded into a VLS aboard the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer File:US Navy 050903-N-1332Y-146 A Sailor aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) inspect the MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) for water to prevent electrical failure.jpg|VLS cells open for inspection aboard File:US Navy 021121-N-0000X-005 A developmental Standard Missile-3 (SM-3), designed to intercept short to medium-ranged ballistic missile threats, is launched from the Pearl Harbor-based Aegis cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70).jpg|An SM-3 departs the Mk 41 VLS aboard with uptake hatch and cell hatch open. File:110909-N-XQ375-035 USS Mitscher VLS Strikedown Crane folded.jpg|VLS Strikedown crane folded, aboard File:020805-N-XP218-008 USS Hopper VLS Strikedown Crane.jpg|VLS Strikedown crane extended, aboard File:MK 41 VLS Diagram.jpg|Diagram of a Mk 41 Mod 0 VLS.

References

References

1. "Mark 41 Vertical Launching System".
2. Friedman, Norman. (2006). "The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems". Naval Institute Press.
3. LaGrone, Sam. (12 October 2016). "Pentagon Pledges to Respond in 'Appropriate Manner' After New Yemen Missile Attack on USS Mason". U.S. Naval Institute.
4. Copp, Tara. (13 October 2016). "Aegis defense system helped stop missile attack on USS Mason". Stars and Stripes.
5. "A Promising Future for US Navy: Vertical Launching Systems".
6. (2011). "Mk 41 Missile Canisters".
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13. "MK41 VERTICAL LAUNCHING SYSTEM".
14. Allison, George. (2018-04-17). "CAMM completes qualification trials from Lockheed Martin launcher".
15. "CAMM {{!}} FORCE PROTECTION, Ground Based Air Defence".
16. (2022-11-05). "Common Anti Air Missile (CAMM) - Think Defence".
17. "UK, Poland To Advance Development Of Longer Range Air Defense Missile {{!}} Aviation Week Network".
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20. [http://www.raytheon.com/businesses/rids/products/rtnwcm/groups/public/documents/content/rtn_bus_ids_prod_mk57_pdf.pdf Mk 57]
21. "MK 57 Vertical Launching System Zumwalt Class Destroyer Program".
22. NAVEDTRA 14324, Gunner's Mate, Chapter 7.
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24. (14 August 2023). "USMC Systems Command Provides Details on Long-Range Missile Battery".
25. (20 November 2019). "Mysterious radar ship spotted off coast of S. Taiwan". Taiwan News.
26. "Mk-48 Vertical Launching System VLS RIM-7 RIM-162 Sea Sparrow".
27. "Mk-56 Vertical Launching System GMVLS RIM-162 ESSM Missile".
28. "Mk-45 Vertical Launching System VLS Submarines SSN SSGN".