Silos wanted

With the decommissioning of the Ticonderoga class, the US Navy will have to do without many vertical take-off systems. Discussions are now underway about ways to remedy the situation.

The United States Navy is currently facing a significant challenge. The missile arsenal of the ocean-going fleet needs to be expanded, not least in view of the massive expansion of the Chinese fleet. However, the decommissioning of the remaining 13 Ticonderoga-class units planned for 2027 will further increase the deficit; the retirement of the guided missile cruisers also means the elimination of 1586 vertical launch systems (VLS).

The introduction of the Constellation-class frigates was intended to partially compensate for this. However, two problems become apparent here. Firstly, the planned 20 frigates, which only carry 32 VLS silos per ship, will only replace 40 per cent of the Ticonderoga-class weapon capacity. Secondly, the procurement programme for the Constellation class is currently three years behind the original schedule.