VLS systems - request for information.

S

swerve

Super Moderator
I've been trying to find the dimensions & weights of various VLS launchers, in order to satisfy my curiosity about what could fit where, & have had very little success. Basically, all I have good information on are Mk 41 tactical & strike length & Sylver A43 & A50.

Can anyone help? I'd be grateful for either information, or pointers to where I can find it. Anything that's published & reliable. VL Mica, VL Seawolf, Mk41 SDL, Mk 48, Mk 56, any of the others out there - Russian, Israeli, South African - whatever.

Ta in advance.

Paul
 
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K

kato

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
VL Seawolf

The missile is in a 3.3 m long, 60 cm diameter, sealed launcher-container or canister which weighs 70 kg and is transported to the ship in a transport frame. The canister, which has its own efflux management system, can then be loaded into a missile silo. In the Royal Navy the canisters are grouped into eight-cell modules with a missile firing unit and efflux ducting system. Such modules weigh 3.4 t but 16-round 6 m ISO-standard containers, six-round small modules and even single canister options are available.
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(source: Jane's Naval Weapon Systems 2001)

Barak

The Rafael-made vertical launchers are each 2.55 m × 37.6 cm × 30 cm and weigh 110 kg with the efflux conducted from the bottom through two channels to the top of the launcher. The launchers may be distributed individually or clustered around the ship either above or below decks in a similar manner to Seasparrow (qv); each has two missile selection units. The manufacturers state that an above-deck Vertical Launch Unit (VLU) with eight missiles and weighing 1.7 tonnes will occupy a space of 1.8 m2 while a similar below-deck installation will occupy a volume of 4 m3.
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(source: Jane's Naval Weapon Systems 2001)

Quadrax (Crotale VT1, Umkhonto)

For the VL-VT1, DCN International has developed the Quadrax launcher system which consists of a metal framework with two-cell modules and four launcher-containers in each cell, rather like the Seasparrow Quad Pack. Such an installation weighs about 1 tonne and is about 3.5 m high. It is 1.17 m² and occupies less than 1.2 m² of deck space, occupying an area 0.9 × 1.3 m.
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(source: Jane's Naval Weapon Systems 2001)

I'd recommend the quoted Jane's book (or a newer issue, if available?) for information. It's a bit more general on the Russian stuff, only citing the deck coverage of VLS in m² usually, not much else except functionality and occasional weights. No info on VL Mica in the 2001 issue, as it was only conceptional back then.

Mk56 is a Mk48 repackaged to a 2x6 layout (usually) btw, with launch canister dimensions fitting for NSSM.
 
S

swerve

Super Moderator
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3
Thanks very much. Now all I have to do is find a copy. There isn't one in any of our local public libraries, or the local university library (catalogues are online).
 
Systems Adict

Systems Adict

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Have you tried searching here ?

"www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/


Found this....

Sea Sparrow

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/docs/Aim-7p_train.pdf


Found this on the net...

http://www.skomer.u-net.com/projects/missiles.htm


...& This

http://www.mbda-systems.com/mbda/site/FO/scripts/siteFO_accueil.php

This is a nice page from MBDA ! If you see the row of 5 boxes in the middle of the screen, click on the right hand side one, it then lists the various Naval missiles they have. Click on the specific missile & a new page loads with lots of data on the missile in question.

Probably just what you were really looking for ?
Pity there isn't a facility like that for other companies products !

Systems Adict :D
 
gf0012-aust

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Have you tried Janes? They used to have a ref to air defence systems which was quite detailed - but I haven't seen it for a few years.
 
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S

swerve

Super Moderator
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13
Thanks for all the input, everyone. I now have a fair bit of information. What I still lack, & would like, is -

Weight of Mk 41 self-defence length
Precise weight of Sylver A43 & A50 (I have some suspiciously round figures)
Dimensions & weight of Sylver A35 & A70

And I'd be very grateful if anyone knows anything about the packing density of Sylver modules. Mk 41 can, from the photographs I've seen, be packed very closely, with no intervening space. One can see from photographs of Sylver A43 on Charles de Gaulle that there is space between each 8-cell module. Is this a system requirement? Or can they be jammed up against each other like Mk 41?

Hoping someone out there knows . . .
 
S

swerve

Super Moderator
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15
Those pictures nicely illustrates how Mk 41s are close-packed, but unfortunately one can't tell anything about the possible packing density of Sylver from them. There are no other Sylver modules adjacent to the one being lowered into position.

But agreed, they do look very similar.
 
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