The opportunity for an earlier vertical-launch Sea Wolf

How much of an opportunity was missed by declining to adopt Sea Wolf GWS25 as a vertical-launch system immediately?

It could have put Sea Wolf on more ships and made combined short- and longer-range missile defences easier to arrange, subject to sensor integration and cost.

A vertical-launch Sea Wolf installation is judged easier to add to a wider range of vessels. A Sea Dart ship could then gain the shorter-range system after its radar and radio emissions had been reconciled. Larger hulls are credited with more stability and room for shielding, which could help manage interference between systems. They could also carry a deeper missile magazine even where the increase in overall capability was limited. The rejection of larger ships is interpreted partly as a cost-saving choice, with interference arguments used against the additional expense.