Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:06:54-2:08:57

Why VLS cell counts cannot recreate the age-of-sail rating system

Missile-cell counts look like a modern equivalent to counting guns, but different launcher lengths and payloads make a single numerical rating misleading.

Force StructureMissile LoadoutShip ClassificationVertical Launch Systems
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Question

Could modern warships return to first-rate and second-rate classifications based on their number of VLS cells?

Short answer

Only as a starting point. Cell length and missile load matter so much that a ship with fewer strike-length cells may be more powerful than one with many tactical cells.

Notes

The age-of-sail rating system counted weapons whose broad characteristics could be inferred alongside the number of guns. VLS counts conceal a larger variation: sixteen strike-length cells may accept weapons unavailable to a ship with forty-eight shorter tactical cells, while the actual missile load changes the comparison again. A destroyer-specific or frigate-specific rating might be devised, but designers could soon optimize to the rating rather than to the operational capability the navy needs.