rcrmj
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But what's the point in having ultra new VLS if it has lesser missiles?
Only explanation i can think of is modularity?With same VLS it can carry any mix,optimized for particular mission at hand?
the new VSL can be quarter-packed, which means one cell can contain 4 HQ-16B medium range anti-air missiles and 4 anti-sub missiles, the MK-57 from U.S navy is the same which is significantly larger than MK-41 they are using,
and Zumwalt-class has 12,000 ton displacement but only 80 cells which much less than 9000 ton Arleigh Burke class with 122 cells
mission flexibility is very important for $billion worth battleships, it is just not realistic to spend hundreds of millions to build a ship which can only carry one or two types of missile``
for example, if the mission for 052D is to provide first layer missile/air defence for the AC groups, it can carry 64 HQ-9B which has 200KM plus range, if for second layer 052D can carry like 16 HQ-9B and 192 units of HQ-16B (75KM effective range), and so on for anti-ship, anti-sub or land attack missions