Three 8-Cell Modules Per Vessel
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract by BAE Systems to supply the MK41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) for the Royal Navy’s new Type 26 CITY-class Global Combat Ship.
The MK41 has been successfully integrated on almost 200 vessels in 20 ship classes for over a dozen navies worldwide. It has over 3,850 successful firings to its credit and is the only system capable of launching anti-air, anti-submarine, surface-to-surface and strike-length missiles, according to the company.
Each ship will be equipped with three 8-cell MK 41 VLS modules. BAE Systems’ initial order includes nine modules to cover the first three vessels. The Type 26 will be a world-class anti-submarine warfare ship and will replace the Royal Navy’s variant Type 23 frigates from the mid-2020s, undertaking a wide range of roles from high intensity warfare to humanitarian assistance, either operating independently or as part of a task group.
“The MK 41 VLS will provide the Royal Navy’s Type 26 Global Combat Ships with a proven and cost-effective vertical launching solution,” commented Lockheed Martin UK Rotary and Mission Systems Group Managing Director, Paul Livingston.
“The Vertical Launching System contributes to our overall combat management system and will further enhance platform flexibility and capability, which are core to the design of the Type 26,” added BAE Systems’ Type 26 Programme Director, Nadia Savage.
