Lockheed Martin receives order to build 70 VLS launchers

Lockheed Martin has received an order from the Pentagon to supply a further 70 Mk 41 vertical take-off and landing systems. The VLS modules are primarily intended for the American destroyers of the Arleigh-Burke-class and the future frigates of the Constellation-class. The package has a total value of more than 231 million dollars. 80 per cent of the launchers will go to the US Navy, with a further 13 per cent (30.7 million dollars) earmarked for Australia under the Foreign Military Sales programme and 7 per cent (17.5 million dollars) for Spain. Both nations have ships equipped with the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System. In Australia, these are the destroyers of the Hobart-class and the frigates of the Anzac- and the future Hunter-class. The Spanish Navy has one Mk 41 system with 48 cells on each of the five frigates in the Alvaro-de-Bazan-class installed.
The Mk 41 system built by Lockheed Martin has a modular design and is installed below deck. The vertical take-off system was originally developed for the Aegis cruisers of the Ticonderoga-class, can be found today in large numbers on the destroyers of the Arleigh-Burke-class. In the meantime, 14 other navies have decided in favour of installing the Mk 41. The most important customer outside the United States is Japan. In Germany, the system has been integrated into the 123 and 124 class frigates.

Mk 41 from Lockheed Martin

Text: mb; Photos: US Navy, Lockheed Martin