Vertical launching system#Launch type

File:SM-2 Block IV 080605-N-0000X-006.jpg launching from a VLS cell on {{USS|Lake Erie|CG-70|6}} in 2008.]]

File:US Navy 090825-N-1522S-020 A Tactical Tomahawk Cruise Missile launches from the forward missile deck aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) during a training exercise.jpg

A vertical launch system can be either "hot launch", where the missile ignites in the cell, or "cold launch", where the missile is expelled by gas produced by a gas generator which is not part of the missile itself, and then the missile ignites. "Cold" means relatively cold compared with rocket engine exhaust. A hot launch system does not require an ejection mechanism but does require some way of disposing of the missile's exhaust and heat as it departs the cell. If the missile ignites in a cell without an ejection mechanism, the cell must withstand the tremendous heat generated without igniting missiles in adjacent cells.

An advantage of a hot-launch system is that the missile propels itself out of the launching cell using its own engine, which eliminates the need for a separate system to eject the missile from the launching tube. This potentially makes a hot-launch system relatively light, small, and economical to develop and produce, particularly when designed around smaller missiles. A potential disadvantage is that a malfunctioning missile could destroy the launch tube. American surface-ship VLSs have missile cells arranged in a grid with one lid per cell and are "hot launch" systems. The engine ignites within the cell during the launch and so requires a way of venting rocket exhaust. France, Italy and Britain use a similar hot-launching Sylver system in PAAMS.

The advantage of the cold-launch system is in its safety: if a missile engine malfunctions during launch, the cold-launch system can eject the missile, reducing or eliminating the threat. For this reason, Russian VLSs are often designed with a slant so that a malfunctioning missile will land in the water instead of on the ship's deck. As missile size grows, the benefits of ejection launching increase. Above a certain size, a missile booster cannot be safely ignited within the confines of a ship's hull. Most modern intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles are cold-launched. Russia produces both grid systems and a revolver arrangement with more than one missile per lid for its cold launch system. Russia also uses a cold launch system for some of its vertical launch missile systems, e.g., the Tor missile system.

The United Kingdom's Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM) family of missiles utilises a similar cold-launching system, referred to as "soft-vertical-launch", and actively markets the advantages of the system. Soft-launch provides the missile with a reduce interception rate allowing for shorter ranged engagements, reduces the infrared homing signature of the ship and the obscurant of visibility by rendering the ship in efflux for several minutes; and most notably, the lack of hot efflux and reduced stress on the ship's structure allows for a much greater choice of launch systems, such as the lighter "Mushroom Farm" launcher whilst also still enabling installation into the heavier Mark 41 in a quad-pack or dual-packed configuration (two or four missiles per cell) for a costly, but more space efficient option.{{Cite journal |last1=Głębocki |first1=Robert |last2=Jacewicz |first2=Mariusz |date=2018-10-20 |title=Simulation study of a missile cold launch system |url=http://ptmts.org.pl/jtam/index.php/jtam/article/view/4453 |journal=Journal of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics |volume=56 |issue=4 |pages=901–913 |doi=10.15632/jtam-pl.56.4.901 |issn=1429-2955|doi-access=free }}{{Cite web |date=2019-06-04 |title=From Sea Wolf to Sea Ceptor – the Royal Navy's defensive shield {{!}} Navy Lookout |url=https://www.navylookout.com/from-sea-wolf-to-sea-ceptor-the-royal-navys-defensive-shield/ |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=www.navylookout.com |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=SEA CEPTOR {{!}} FORCE PROTECTION, Maritime Superiority |url=https://www.mbda-systems.com/product/sea-ceptor/ |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=MBDA |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=CAMM {{!}} FORCE PROTECTION, Ground Based Air Defence |url=https://www.mbda-systems.com/product/camm/ |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=MBDA |language=en-US}}

Some warships of China's People's Liberation Army Navy use a concentric canister launch (CCL) system that can launch using both hot and cold methods in the cell module, onboard the Type 052D destroyer and the Type 055 destroyer.{{cite web|url=https://www.china-arms.com/2020/02/cold-and-hot-launches-052d/|title=Shots of cold and hot launches of 052D destroyer unveiled|website=China-arms|date=19 February 2020}} The universal launch system is offered for export.{{cite web|url= https://www.defenseworld.net/news/30531/China_Reveals_Universal_Ship_borne_Vertical_Missile_Launch_System#.YW7_iyWkoWM |title= China Reveals Universal Ship-borne Vertical Missile Launch System |website=defense post|date= 1 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001081545/https://www.defenseworld.net/news/30531/China_Reveals_Universal_Ship_borne_Vertical_Missile_Launch_System |archive-date=1 October 2021 |url-status=dead}}

Older Chinese ships use single launch system: Type 052C destroyers use a cold launch system, while Type 054A frigates use a hot launch system.{{cite web |first1=Rick |last1=Joe |url=https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/all-you-need-to-know-about-chinas-new-stealth-destroyer/ |title=All You Need to Know About China's New Stealth Destroyer |website=The Diplomat |date=8 June 2018 |access-date=13 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613005400/https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/all-you-need-to-know-about-chinas-new-stealth-destroyer/ |archive-date=13 June 2018 |url-status=live }}

Transporter erector launchers are wheeled or tracked land vehicles for the launch of surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles. In most systems the missiles are transported in a horizontal out-of-battery configuration: in order to fire, the vehicle must stop and the transport/launch tube must be raised to the vertical before firing.

BAE Systems has filed patents relating to the use of Vertical Launch missiles from modified passenger aircraft.{{cite web |url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US7540227 |title=Patent US7540227 – Air based vertical launch ballistic missile defense – Google Patents |date=2003-05-06 |access-date=2016-12-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230002334/https://www.google.com/patents/US7540227 |archive-date=2016-12-30 |url-status=live }}

In 2021, the Centre for Military Studies published the total number of VLS cells in use with fourteen NATO navies. The results are displayed below.

Note: The above table does not include NATO navies which do not possess vertical launching systems, namely Albania, Croatia, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania and Slovenia.

;{{DZA}}

• El Radii-class frigates – Umkhonto (32 cells)

;{{AUS}}

• {{sclass|Anzac|frigate|1}} – Mark 41 Mod 16 (8 cells)
• {{sclass|Hobart|destroyer|1}} – Mark 41 (48 cells)
• {{sclass|Hunter|frigate|1}} – Mark 41 (32 cells)

;{{BRA}}

• {{sclass|Tamandaré|frigate|1}} – GWS-35 (12 cells)

;{{CHI}}

• {{sclass|Karel Doorman|frigate|1}} – Mark 48 Mod 1 (16 cells)
• Type 23 frigate – GWS-35 (32 cells)
• {{sclass|Adelaide|frigate|1}} – Mark 41 Mod 16 (8 cells)

;{{CHN}}

;Surface

• Type 055 destroyer – GJB 5860-2006 Concentric Canister Launch System (112 cells)
• Type 052D destroyer – GJB 5860-2006 Concentric Canister Launch System (64 cells)
• Type 052C destroyer – H/AJK03 HHQ-9 (48 cells)
• Type 051C destroyer – 48N6E (48 cells)
• Type 051B destroyer – H/AJK16 HQ-16 or Yu-8 (32 cells)
• {{sclass|Sovremenny|destroyer|1}} – H/AJK16 HQ-16 or Yu-8 (32 cells)
• Type 054A frigate – H/AJK16 HQ-16 or Yu-8 (32 cells)

;{{EGY}}

• Tahya Misr – SYLVER A43 (16 cells)

;{{FIN}}

• {{sclass|Hamina|missile boat|1}} – Umkhonto (8 cells)
• {{sclass|Hämeenmaa|minelayer|1}} – Umkhonto (8 cells)

;{{IND}}

File:VLSRSAM.jpg]]

;Surface

• {{INS|Vikrant|2013|6}} – Barak 8 (64 cells)
• {{INS|Vikramaditya}} – Barak 1 and Barak 8 (48 cells)
• {{sclass|Visakhapatnam|destroyer|1}} - Barak 8 (32 cells) and BrahMos (16 cells)
• {{sclass|Kolkata|destroyer|1}} – Barak 8 (32 cells) and BrahMos (48 cells)
• {{sclass|Delhi|destroyer|1}} – Barak 1 (32 cells)
• {{sclass|Rajput|destroyer|1}} – BrahMos (8 cells) and VL-SRSAM
• {{sclass|Shivalik|frigate|1}} – Club or BrahMos (8 cells) and Barak 1 (32 cells)
• {{sclass|Talwar|frigate|1}} – Club or BrahMos (8 cells)
• {{sclass|Brahmaputra|frigate|1}} – Barak 1 (24 cells)
• {{sclass|Kamorta|corvette|1}} – Barak 1 (16 cells)

;Submarine

• {{sclass|Arihant|submarine|1}} – K-4 or K-15 (8 cells)

;{{IRN}}

• {{sclass|Shahid Soleimani|corvette|1}} – SD-3 or Navvab and Q-474 CMs (22 cells)
• Zulfighar-class fast attack craft – Navvab (4 cells)

;{{INA}}

• {{sclass|Bung Tomo|corvette|1}} – VL MICA (16 cells)
• {{sclass|Martadinata|frigate|1}} – VL MICA (12 cells)
• {{sclass|Ahmad Yani|frigate|1}} – Yakhont VLS (4 cells) Ex-{{sclass|Van Speijk|frigate|1}}

File:VLS Caio Duilio.jpg

;{{ISR}}

• {{sclass2|Sa'ar 5|corvette|5}} – {{sclass2|Sa'ar 6|corvette|5}} – Barak 1 Barak 8 (2 x 32 cells)

;{{JPN}}

• {{sclass|Hyūga|helicopter destroyer|1}} – Mark 41 (16 cells)
• {{sclass|Kongō|destroyer|1}} – Mark 41 (90 cells)
• {{sclass|Atago|destroyer|1}} – Mark 41 (96 cells)
• {{sclass|Maya|destroyer|1}} – Mark 41 (96 cells)
• {{sclass|Murasame|destroyer|1||1994}} – Mark 41 (16 cells) + Mark 48 (16 cells)
• {{sclass|Takanami|destroyer|1}} – Mark 41 (32 cells)
• {{sclass|Akizuki|destroyer|1||2010}} – Mark 41 (32 cells)
• {{sclass|Asahi|destroyer|1}} – Mark 41 (32 cells)
• {{sclass|Mogami|frigate|1}} - Mark 41 (16 cells)
• {{JS|Asuka||2}} - Mark 41 (8 cells)

;{{MAS}}

• {{sclass|Lekiu|frigate|1}} - GWS-26 (16 cells)

;{{MAR}}

• Mohammed VI – SYLVER A50 (16 cells)

;{{NZL}}

• Anzac-class frigate – GWS-35 (20 cells)

;{{OMN}}

• {{sclass|Khareef|corvette|1}} – VL MICA (12 cells)

File:SA-N-9 (battlecruiser Frunze, 1987).JPEG firing a missile from the Tor VLS]]

File:US Navy 031109-N-9769P-076 Guided missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) steams in the Southern California operating area.jpg

;{{PAK}}

• {{sclass|Tughril|frigate|4}} – HQ16 (32 cells)
• {{sclass|Babur|corvette|1}} – GWS-35 (12 cells)

;{{PHL}}

• {{sclass|Miguel Malvar|frigate|2}} - MICA (16 cells)

;{{RUS}}

;Surface

• {{sclass|Kuznetsov|aircraft carrier|1}} – Granit (12 cells) + Kinzhal (192 cells)
• {{sclass|Kirov|battlecruiser|1}} – Granit (20 cells) + Fort/Fort-M (96 cells) + Kinzhal (128 cells)
• {{sclass|Slava|cruiser|1}} – Fort (64 cells)
• {{sclass|Udaloy|destroyer|1}} – Kinzhal (64 cells)
• {{sclass|Neustrashimy|frigate|1}} – Kinzhal (32 cells)
• {{sclass|Admiral Grigorovich|frigate|1}} – 3S14 for Kalibr or BrahMos (8 cells) + 3S90M for 9M317M (24 cells)
• {{sclass|Admiral Gorshkov|frigate|1}} – 3S14 for Kalibr or Oniks (16 cells) + Redut system for different type of missiles (32 cells)
• {{sclass2|Gepard|frigate|1}} – 3S14 for Kalibr or Oniks (8 cells)
• {{sclass|Steregushchy|corvette|1}} – Redut (12 cells)
• {{sclass|Gremyashchy|corvette|1}} – Redut (2 x 8 cells) + 3S14 for Kalibr or Oniks ( 8 cells)
• Buyan-M-class corvette – 3S14 for Kalibr or Oniks (8 cells)
• {{sclass2|Karakurt|corvette|1}} – 3S14 for Kalibr or Oniks (8 cells)
• Project 22160E patrol ship – 3S14 for Kalibr or Oniks (8 cells){{Cite web|url=https://roe.ru/eng/catalog/naval-systems/surface-ships-ships-and-boats/project-22160E/|title = Patrol ship for distant sea areas Project 22160E | Catalog Rosoboronexport}}
• Korsar-class escort ship – 3S14 for Kalibr (8 cells){{Cite web|url=https://www.aoosk.ru/en/products/11541-korsar/|title = Project 11541 "Korsar"}}

;Submarine

• Amur 950-class submarine – 3S14 for Kalibr or BrahMos (10 cells){{Cite web|url=http://ckb-rubin.ru/en/projects/naval_engineering/submarines/amur_950/|title = ЦКБ МТ Рубин: Amur 950}}
• {{sclass2|Oscar|submarine|1}} – Granit (24 cells) + RPK-2 Vyuga (28 cells)
• Yasen-M-class submarine – 3S14 for Kalibr (40 cells) or Oniks (32 cells){{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/russias-newest-subs-on-par-us-top-us-commanders-say-2021-6|title=Russia's newest submarines are 'on par with ours' and sailing closer to the US, top commanders say|website=Business Insider}}
• {{sclass2|Typhoon|submarine|1}} – R-39 Rif (20 cells){{Cite web|url=https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/ssbn-typhoon-class/|title = SSBN Typhoon Class (Type 941)}}
• {{sclass2|Delta III|submarine|1}} – R-29 Vysota (16 cells){{Cite web |url=http://www.military-today.com/navy/delta_iii_class.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070523160917if_/http://www.military-today.com/navy/delta_iii_class.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=May 23, 2007 |title = Delta III class - Ballistic missile submarine}}
• Delta IV-class submarine – R-29RMU Sineva or R-29RM Shtil (16 cells){{Cite web|url=https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/explainer-russias-delta-iv-nuclear-missile-submarines-175006|title=Explainer: Russia's Delta IV Nuclear Missile Submarines|date=23 December 2020}}
• {{sclass2|Borei|submarine|1}} – RSM-56 Bulava (16 cells){{Cite web|url=https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/borei-class/|title=SSBN Borei Class Nuclear-Powered Submarines}}

;{{RSA}}

• {{sclass2|Valour|frigate|1}} – Umkhonto (16 cells)

;{{KOR}}

;Surface

• {{sclass|Gwanggaeto the Great|destroyer|1}} (KDX-I) – Mark 48 (16 cells)
• {{sclass|Chungmugong Yi Sun-shin|destroyer|1}} (KDX-II) – Mark 41 (32 cells) + Korean Vertical Launching System (K-VLS) (24 cells / 32 cells)
• {{sclass|Sejong the Great|destroyer|1}} (KDX-III) – Mark 41 (80 cells) + K-VLS (48 cells)
• {{sclass|Nampo|minelayer|1}} – K-VLS (4 cells)
• {{sclass|Cheon Wang Bong|landing ship|1}} – K-VLS (4 cells)
• {{sclass|Daegu|frigate|1}} – K-VLS (16 cells)

;Submarine

• {{sclass|Dosan Ahn Changho|submarine|1}} – K-VLS (10 cells)

;{{SIN}}

• {{sclass|Formidable|frigate|1}} – SYLVER (32 cells)
• {{sclass|Victory|corvette|1}} – Barak 1 (2 x 8 cells)
• {{sclass|Independence|littoral mission vessel|1}} – VL MICA-M (12 cells)

;{{THA}}

• {{sclass|Naresuan|frigate|1}} – Mark 41 (8 cells)
• {{sclass|Bhumibol Adulyadej|frigate|1}} – Mark 41 (8 cells)

• List of United States Navy Guided Missile Launching Systems
• XM501 Non-Line-of-Sight Launch System, an experimental small land and surface VLS

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Vertical launching systems}}

• [https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/mk-41-vls.htm Mk 41 VLS] – Federation of American Scientists
• [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/systems/mk-41-vls.htm MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS)] – GlobalSecurity.org
• [http://www.seaforces.org/wpnsys/SURFACE/Mk-48-missile-launcher.htm Mk-48 Vertical Launching System (VLS)] – Seaforces-online Naval Information

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vertical Launching System}}

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