Vertical launching system

{{Short description|Modern system for holding and firing missiles on naval vessels}} {{For|the Brazilian Space Agency launcher|VLS-1}} {{more citations needed|date=January 2017}} [[File:US Navy 030303-N-3235P-503 A topside view of the forward MK-41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) aboard the guided missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56).jpg|thumb|An example of modern VLS cells, these being the Mk. 41, on board {{USS|San Jacinto|CG-56|6}}]] thumb|Video of launch of Sea Wolf missile from VLS cells, on board {{HMS|Richmond|F239|6}} [[File:USS George Washington (SSBN-598) underway at sea, circa in the 1970s.jpg|thumb|In December 1959, the U.S. Navy commissioned {{USS|George Washington|SSBN-598|6}} as its first ballistic missile submarine, making it the first VLS-equipped submarine in the world to use nuclear rather than diesel propulsion.]] [[File:Azov1988.jpg|thumb|The {{sclass2|Kara|cruiser|1}} {{ship|Russian cruiser|Azov||2}} was the first surface ship to be fitted with a true, 90° VLS. The system in question contained four revolving drums of 48 tubes for 5V55RM missiles.]] [[File:US Navy 050110-N-9851B-056 Sailors aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) stabilize a crate containing a Tomahawk cruise missile.jpg|thumb|right|upright|A Tomahawk missile canister being offloaded from a VLS aboard the ''Arleigh Burke''-class destroyer {{USS|Curtis Wilbur|DDG-54|6}}]] A '''vertical launching system''' ('''VLS''') is an advanced system for holding and firing missiles on mobile naval platforms, such as surface ships and submarines. Each vertical launch system consists of a number of ''cells'', which can hold one or more missiles ready for firing. Typically, each cell can hold a number of different types of missiles, allowing the ship flexibility to load the best set for any given mission. Further, when new missiles are developed, they are typically fitted to the existing vertical launch systems of that nation, allowing existing ships to use new types of missiles without expensive rework. When the command is given, the missile flies straight up far enough to clear the cell and the ship, then turns onto the desired course.

A VLS allows surface combatants to have a greater number of weapons ready for firing at any given time compared to older launching systems such as the Mark 13 single-arm and Mark 26 twin-arm launchers, which were fed from behind by a magazine below the main deck. In addition to greater firepower, VLS is much more damage tolerant and reliable than the previous systems and has a lower radar cross-section (RCS). The U.S. Navy now relies exclusively on VLS for its guided missile destroyers and cruisers.

The most widespread VLS in the world is the Mark 41, developed by the United States Navy. More than 11,000 Mark 41 VLS missile cells have been delivered, or are on order, for use on 186 ships across 19 ship classes, in 11 navies around the world. This system currently serves with the US Navy as well as the Australian, Danish, Dutch, German, Japanese, Norwegian, South Korean, Spanish, and Turkish navies, while others like the Greek Navy preferred the similar Mark 48 system.<ref>{{cite web |author=Preview ofTable of contents |url=http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/MK-41-Naval-Vertical-Missile-Launch-Systems-Delivered-Supported-updated-02139/#more-2139 |title=Naval Swiss Army Knife: MK 41 Vertical Missile Launch Systems (VLS) |publisher=Defenseindustrydaily.com |date=2016-07-08 |access-date=2016-12-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230155943/https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/MK-41-Naval-Vertical-Missile-Launch-Systems-Delivered-Supported-updated-02139/#more-2139 |archive-date=2016-12-30 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The 3S-14 VLS was developed in Russia and is used in sea-based as well as land-based TEL systems such as the S-400 missile system.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} MiDLAS vertical launching system is a Turkish system made by Roketsan.

The advanced Mark 57 VLS is used on the {{sclass|Zumwalt|destroyer|1}}. The older Mark 13 and Mark 26 systems remain in service on ships that were sold to other countries such as Taiwan and Poland.

When installed on an nuclear-powered attack submarine, a VLS allows a greater number and variety of weapons to be deployed, compared with using only torpedo tubes.

==Launch type== [[File:Sejong the Great-class destroyer Batch-I.webm|thumb|thumbtime=2:31|start=1:29|end=2:46|A Missile launching from the KVLS cell of the Sejong the Great-class destroyer during maritime operations drills]] [[File:SM-2 Block IV 080605-N-0000X-006.jpg|thumb|right|upright|A RIM-156A missile launching from a VLS cell on {{USS|Lake Erie|CG-70|6}} in 2008]] thumb|right|upright|US Navy Mark 41 Tomahawk hot launch

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.

===Hot launch=== 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.

===Cold launch=== 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.<ref>{{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 }}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>

===Concentric canister launch=== 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> The universal launch system is offered for export.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

Older Chinese ships use single launch system: Type 052C destroyers use a cold launch system, while Type 054A frigates use a hot launch system.{{cn|date=August 2025}}

==Other platforms== 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.<ref>{{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 }}</ref>

== List of VLS == *VLS with multiple types of missile launching capability: **3S-14 (Russia) **GJB 5860-2006 (China) **Korean vertical launching system (South Korea) **Mark 41 vertical launching system (USA) **Mark 48 vertical launching system (USA) **Mark 57 vertical launching system (USA) **MiDLAS vertical launching system (Turkey) **Sylver vertical launching system (France) **HY-VLS (Taiwan)

*VLS made for only single model of missile or missile family: **GWS 26 vertical launching System (UK) **GWS 35 vertical launching System (UK)

==Systems in use by states== {{Update section|date=March 2026}} ===NATO=== 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.

{| class="wikitable sortable" <!-- Do not edit the table except to match the source. --> |+ Vertical launch system cells of 14 NATO navies in 2020 (Centre for Military Studies)<ref name="CMS">{{cite web |last1=Stöhs |first1=Jeremy |title=How High? The Future of European Naval Power and the High-End Challenge |url=https://cms.polsci.ku.dk/publikationer/hvor-hoejt-fremtiden-for-europaeisk-maritim-militaermagt-og-udfordringen-fra-stigende-kapacitetstaerskler/CMS_Report__2021_1_-_How_High_-_The_Future_of_European_Naval_Power__updated_15_FEB_2021_.pdf |website=Centre for Military Studies |publisher=Djøf Publishing |access-date=12 September 2021}}</ref> |- ! Country !! Ship classes and approx. number of VLS cells !! Total !! Strike length VLS cells for sea-launched cruise missiles (SLCM) |- | {{USA}} || *74 × 90/96 {{sclass|Arleigh Burke|destroyer|1}} *9 × 122 {{sclass|Ticonderoga|cruiser|1}} *2 × 80 {{sclass|Zumwalt|destroyer|1}} || 8,158 || 8,700+ arsenal of SLCM. VLS and BFM on submarines ''not'' included. |- | '''Europe total''' || - || '''2,392''' || '''688''' |- | {{UK}} || *6 × 48 Type 45 destroyer *13 × 32 Type 23 frigate || 704 || - |- | {{FRA}} || *2 × 48 {{sclass2|Horizon|frigate|1}} *6 × 32 ''Aquitaine''-class frigate || 288 || 6 × 16 = 96 SLCM deployed on ''Aquitaine'' class |- | {{DEN}} || *2 × 36 {{sclass|Absalon|support ship|1}} *3 × 56 {{sclass|Iver Huitfeldt|frigate|1}} || 240 || 3 x 32 = 96 / No SLCM |- | {{ESP}} || *5 × 48 {{sclass|Álvaro de Bazán|frigate|1}} || 240 || 5 × 48 = 240 / No SLCM |- | {{ITA}} || *2 × 48 {{sclass2|Orizzonte|frigate|1}} *10 × 16 ''Carlo Bergamini''-class frigate *4 x 16 ''Thaon di Revel''-class ocean patrol vessel || 320 || No SLCM |- | {{CAN}} || *12 × 16 {{sclass|Halifax|frigate|1}} || 192 || - |- | {{NED}} || *4 × 40 {{sclass|De Zeven Provinciën|frigate|1}} *2 × 16 {{sclass|Karel Doorman|frigate|1}} || 192 || 4 × 40 = 160 / No SLCM |- | {{GER}} || *4 × 16 {{sclass|Brandenburg|frigate|1}} *3 × 32 {{sclass|Sachsen|frigate|1}} || 160 || 3 × 32 = 96 / No SLCM |- | {{TUR}} || * 2 × 8 {{sclass|Barbaros|frigate|1}} * 2 × 32 ''Salih Reis''-class frigate * 4 × 8 {{sclass2|G|frigate|1}} || 122 || - |- | {{GRE}} || * 4 × 16 {{sclass|Hydra|frigate|1}} || 64 || - |- | {{NOR}} || * 3 × 8, 1 × 16 {{sclass|Fridtjof Nansen|frigate|1}} || 40 || - |- | {{BEL}} || *2 × 16 {{sclass|Karel Doorman|frigate|1}} || 32 || - |- | {{POR}} || *2 × 16 {{sclass|Karel Doorman|frigate|1}} || 32 || - |- |} 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.

===Other=== ;{{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 As of 2025, PLAN has an arsenal of 4864+ ship-based VLS. VLS on submarines not included. * 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/AJK-03 HHQ-9 (48 cells) * Type 051C destroyer – 48N6E (48 cells) * Type 051B destroyer – H/AKJ-16 (32 cells) * {{sclass|Sovremenny|destroyer|1}} – H/AKJ-16 (32 cells) * Type 054B frigate – H/AKJ-16 (32 cells) * Type 054A frigate – H/AKJ-16 (32 cells) ;{{EGY}} * ''Tahya Misr'' – SYLVER A43 (16 cells) ;{{ROC}} * Kang Ding-class frigate – HY-VLS (32 cells) ;{{FIN}} * {{sclass|Hamina|missile boat|1}} – Umkhonto (8 cells) * {{sclass|Hämeenmaa|minelayer|1}} – Umkhonto (8 cells) ;{{IND}} [[File:VLSRSAM.jpg|thumb|Shipborne launch of VL-SRSAM]] ;Surface (32 ships with 1,040 cells) * {{INS|Vikrant|2013|6}} – Barak 8 (64 cells) * {{INS|Vikramaditya}} – Barak 1 and Barak 8 (48 cells) * {{sclass|Visakhapatnam|destroyer|1}} (4) – BrahMos (16 cells) and Barak 8 (32 cells) * {{sclass|Kolkata|destroyer|1}} (3) – BrahMos (16 cells) and Barak 8 (32 cells) * {{sclass|Delhi|destroyer|1}} (3) – Barak 1 (32 cells) * {{sclass|Rajput|destroyer|1}} (3) – BrahMos (8 cells) and VL-SRSAM or Barak 1 (16 cells) * {{sclass|Nilgiri|frigate|1|5=2019}} (3) – BrahMos (8 cells) and Barak 8 (32 cells) * {{sclass|Shivalik|frigate|1}} (3) – Club or BrahMos (8 cells) and Barak 1 (32 cells) * {{sclass|Talwar|frigate|1}} (Batch III) (2) – BrahMos (8 cells) and Shtil-1 (24 cells) * ''Talwar''-class frigate (Batch I & II) (6) – Club or BrahMos (8 cells) * {{sclass|Brahmaputra|frigate|1}} (3) – Barak 1 (24 cells) ;Submarine * {{sclass|Arihant|submarine|1}} (2) – K-4 or K-15 (4 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}} thumb|right|SYLVER cells of the Italian destroyer {{ship|Italian destroyer|Caio Duilio|D 554|2}} ;{{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|thumb|right|Soviet missile cruiser ''Frunze'' firing a missile from the Tor VLS]] thumb|right|Top view of the {{sclass|Ticonderoga|cruiser|0}} {{USS|Lake Champlain|CG-57|6}} with VLS visible fore and aft as the gray boxes near the bow and stern of the ship ;{{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)<ref>{{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 &#124; Catalog Rosoboronexport}}</ref> * Korsar-class escort ship – 3S14 for Kalibr (8 cells)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aoosk.ru/en/products/11541-korsar/|title=Project 11541 "Korsar"|access-date=2021-08-17|archive-date=2024-02-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223035551/https://aoosk.ru/en/products/11541-korsar/|url-status=dead}}</ref> ;Submarine * Amur 950-class submarine – 3S14 for Kalibr or BrahMos (10 cells)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ckb-rubin.ru/en/projects/naval_engineering/submarines/amur_950/|title = ЦКБ МТ Рубин: Amur 950}}</ref> * {{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)<ref>{{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}}</ref> * {{sclass2|Typhoon|submarine|1}} – R-39 Rif (20 cells)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/ssbn-typhoon-class/|title = SSBN Typhoon Class (Type 941)}}</ref> * {{sclass2|Delta III|submarine|1}} – R-29 Vysota (16 cells)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.military-today.com/navy/delta_iii_class.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509192516/https://www.military-today.com/navy/delta_iii_class.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 9, 2021 |title=Delta III class - Ballistic missile submarine |access-date=July 23, 2021 }}</ref> * Delta IV-class submarine – R-29RMU Sineva or R-29RM Shtil (16 cells)<ref>{{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|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-date=23 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223161740/https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/explainer-russias-delta-iv-nuclear-missile-submarines-175006|url-status=dead}}</ref> * {{sclass2|Borei|submarine|1}} – RSM-56 Bulava (16 cells)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/borei-class/|title=SSBN Borei Class Nuclear-Powered Submarines}}</ref> ;{{RSA}} * {{sclass2|Valour|frigate|1}} – Umkhonto (16 cells) ;{{KOR}} [[File:The 8-cell KVLS modules of the Sejong the Great-class destroyer.jpg|thumb|8-cell KVLS modules on board Sejong the Great-class destroyer]] ;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)

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

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{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 * [https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/systems/mk-41-vls.htm MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS)] – GlobalSecurity.org * [https://www.seaforces.org/wpnsys/SURFACE/Mk-48-missile-launcher.htm Mk-48 Vertical Launching System (VLS)] – Seaforces-online Naval Information

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vertical Launching System}} Category:Guided missiles Category:Missile launchers Category:Missile operation Category:Naval weapons Category:Rockets and missiles Category:Russian inventions Category:Ship-based missile launchers Category:Soviet inventions Category:Vertical launch systems