The MK 41 VLS is itself available in 3 different sizes, to meet differing hull and mission requirements:
- The 7.7m Strike length MK 41 is the largest system accommodating the widest variety of missiles, up to and including Tomahawk cruise missiles for land attack, and SM-3s for ballistic missile defense. Its capabilities cover almost every mission in naval warfare: anti-air, anti-submarine, ship self-defense, land attack, and ballistic missile defense. In future, it also has the potential to carry anti-ship missiles, like the LRASM/OASuW. A land-based version will make up part of the USA’s “Aegis Ashore” missile defense complexes in Romania and Poland.
The 6.8m Tactical length Mk 41 is over 7 feet shorter than the Strike length, and can accommodate a variety of missiles up to approximately 18.5 feet in length. SM-2 Standard and RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow air defense missiles, and VL-ASROC anti-submarine missiles, will fit in a tactical length cell.
The 5.3m Self-Defense Launcher (SDL) is specifically designed to carry self-defense missiles for small ships, and is shorter and lighter than the other variants. Its size and weight are designed to accommodate smaller ships like corvettes and frigates, as well as aircraft carriers with limited deck and hull space.
The height (missile length) of the launcher comes in three sizes: 209 inches (5.3 m) for the self-defense version, 266 inches (6.8 m) for the tactical version, and 303 inches (7.7 m) for the strike version. The empty weight for an 8-cell module is 26,800 pounds for the self-defense version, 29,800 pounds for the tactical version, and 32,000 pounds for the strike version
The launcher on the Aussie and Turk Perry's is the TACTICAL, not the shortest SDL. The SDL is 1.5m shorter than the Tactical launcher.
This is a Mk48/56 module for ESSM (3.66m): its takes a single deck belowdecks. Total height about 5m. A pair of those gives you 24 ESSM.
For comparison, the same basic module fitted with a 76mm Oto.
Thetis (StanFlex 3000) OPV
Displacement:3,500 tons,standard
Length:112.3 m (368 ft 5 in)
Beam:14.4 m (47 ft 3 in)
Height:37.0 m (121 ft 5 in)
Draft:6.0 m (19 ft 8 in)
Flyvevike (Stanflex 300) FAC
Displacement:320 tonnes (315 long tons) light
450 tonnes (443 long tons) full load
Length:54 m (177 ft 2 in)
Beam:9 m (29 ft 6 in)
Draught:2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)