Originally posted by huh_what
View Post
I finally found some decent quality photographs and am prepared to state the following:
I can say with 100% certainly that the forward VLS is absolutely a 48-cell unit. The photo I found (from the launch ceremony of the lead-ship) has this covered by a tarp but you can very clearly make out each 8-cell cluster. There are 6.
The rear has 2 VLS units, cited with the larger forward and the smaller just aft of it. The forward one is, I am 99.9% certain a 32-cell VLS. There is simply no room for an 80-cell VLS there. The one decent photograph I found (taken at deck level, just forward of the VLS) shows a block that could be no larger than 32 cells - certainly not 64 or 80. In addition, if you add the 48 forward and 32 aft cells and you come up with the "80 Standard Missiles" frequently attributed to this class. The far aft unit seems clearly to be a 16-cell VLS of different design. This I presume is associated with the 16 VL-ASROC missiles attributed to this class.
But wait you say, what about the 32 cruise missiles?
Here's the rub. Most sources quote the missile load as 80 Standards, 32 cruise and 16 ASROC but I am now convinced these are maximum loads for each type and not all can be carried at once. My suspicion is the forward VLS is deep enough only for Standard and can not carry the cruise missile. This seems affirmed by the fact the larger of the two aft VLS systems is an indiginous Korean design. This only makes sense if the Korean cruise missile doesn't fit in Mk 41 - and also further confirms this nest has 32 cells, not 64 or 80. Either VLS group presumably can accomdate Standard, making for a maximum of 80 Standard if no cruise missiles are carried. All of this explains why 32 cruise missiles are attributed to the class and 80 Standards, which should really be "up to 80 Standards." A translation issue perhaps.
Comment