A twenty-foot container carrying four missiles uses a large amount of deck space for its weapon load. Six such containers would carry 24 missiles, while a hull designed for integrated Mark 41 launchers could carry the same number and retain more room for other payloads. That volume penalty helps explain the limited appeal of containerized weapons for regular warships. Uncrewed surface vessels are expected to make greater use of swappable weapon containers. Exchanging or reloading them would still require suitable lifting equipment and a sufficiently stable location. The useful ability to change a payload therefore comes with a cost in how much equipment fits aboard at once.
Notable Point · 51:51-53:18
Why containerized weapons consume so much space
Containerized payloads offer easy swapping but use far more deck area than launchers integrated into a warship's structure.