The illustrative magazine uses eight cells for 32 ESSM rounds, eight for vertical-launch ASROC and sixteen for SM-2MR. Without ASROC, those eight cells could instead increase the SM-2 allocation to twenty-four. Cyclic links strike-length cells to common US support arrangements, production economics and the potential size of an ASROC successor. He attributes the future-missile reasoning to an interview with the programme director. These choices explain why a sixteen-cell patrol-frigate fit would not offer the same mix of ASW and escort air defence.
Notable Point · 36:21-38:36
How 32 VLS cells fit Constellation's escort mission
An illustrative ESSM, ASROC and SM-2 load explains the preference for 32 strike-length cells.