The discussion puts rising missile-capacity expectations at 32 or more vertical launch system (VLS) cells for light frigates, 48 or more for heavier frigates, and about 72 or more for destroyers. These are suggested benchmarks for a credible weapons load, rather than formal definitions of ship types. The follow-up explains why a 74-cell destroyer does not fit the eight-cell modules under discussion. An 80-cell load is considered useful, while the stated preference is at least 96 cells in a three-by-four module arrangement.
Notable Point · 2:34-5:21
VLS cell counts and destroyer expectations
The proposed VLS benchmarks run from 32-cell light frigates to destroyers with 80 or preferably 96 cells, with eight-cell modules constraining the total.