The return of larger surface combatants reflects an expectation that a major war will outlast the opening missile salvos. More hull volume allows deeper vertical-launch magazines, but initial cell count alone does not solve endurance. Navies also need ways to reload those magazines at sea. Japan's planned cruisers and their deep VLS capacity show that magazine depth is already influencing warship size.
Notable Point · 1:12:40-1:13:26
Magazine depth and reloading for a long naval war
A long naval war requires large missile magazines and a practical way to reload VLS cells at sea.