The addition of 24 Sea Ceptors improves the missile fit, while a preferred alternative would have installed 24 Mark 41 cells. In that example, eight quad-packed cells could carry 32 Sea Ceptors, leaving cells for other weapons, including a suggested SM-3 ballistic-missile-defence load. Those are proposed options, and the March 2026 discussion describes British Type 45 ballistic-missile-defence involvement as still under debate. The ships are expected to serve well into the 2030s while work on Type 83 gets under way. The separate Sea Ceptor installation uses forward space once reserved for strategic-length Mark 41 launchers and previously used as a gym.
Notable Point · 1:26:59-1:29:21
Twenty-four Sea Ceptors and the alternative Mark 41 load
A proposed Mark 41 fit would offer a larger quad-packed Sea Ceptor load and other missile options, while the separate 24-missile installation uses reserved forward space.