Mounting vertical-launch cells along a ship's sides

Can vertical-launch cells be mounted along a ship's superstructure instead of in central deck blocks?

Yes, but weight, center of gravity, cell depth, and structural integration matter; Mark 57 was designed for peripheral placement while Mark 41 normally sits centrally.

The proposed arrangement is possible, but weight and the ship's center of mass govern where the launchers can go. Mark 57 is identified as the version arranged near a hull's edges, while Mark 41 is contrasted as a central installation. Strike-length cells add a volume problem because they extend through several decks. A superstructure containing them would have to accommodate that depth as part of the overall design. Zumwalt's tumblehome hull further complicates the boundary between the hull sides and what observers call superstructure.