Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigates to be fitted with Mk41 vertical launch system
Speaking today at the First Sea Lord’s Sea Power Conference, Admiral Sir Ben Key, confirmed the Type 31 Inspiration Class frigates will be equipped with the Mk41 VLS.
The Admiral said “…we also need to advance our ability to deliver lethal long-range offensive fires against our adversaries. Hence the decision to ensure the Mark 41 Vertical Launch Silo is fitted to the Type 26 and, I am delighted to say, we intend to fit it also to our Type 31 frigates. This will enable potential use of a large variety of current and future anti-air, anti-surface, ballistic missile defence and strike missiles”
The Type 31s are already being built with the foundation structural seats for four 8-Cell Mk41 Strike-Length VLS modules. In light of justifiable accusations the surface fleet “acts like porcupines – well-defended herbivores with limited offensive capabilities”, the RN has now decided to equip the ships with 32 cells. This will provide commonality with the Type 26 frigates and the many users of Mk41 in allied navies across the globe.
This is a good example of how the selection of the larger Arrowhead 140 platform was a sensible decision and demonstrates how Type 31 has evolved beyond its bargain-basement, light frigate roots. If armed with the FCASW/FOSW anti-ship/land attack missile, the Type 31 will significantly increase its reach and firepower, mitigating much of the widespread criticism that these ships are grossly under-armed. The RN has always been vague about how many Sea Ceptor cells would be fitted to Type 31 but 32 Mk41 cells provide the option to quad-pack up to 128 of these missiles, although a mix-and-match approach with other weapons is more likely.
1SL did not specify if the Mk41 cells will be fitted from the outset on ship 1 but it would make a lot of sense and not greatly impact the construction schedule. The ship-launched Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FCASW) or Future Offensive Surface Weapon (FOSW) is supposed to be in service from 2028 and this would dovetail well with the entry into service of HMS Venturer and HMS Glasgow.
It has not yet been announced if FOSW will be hypersonic or subsonic / stealthy and have a range measured in hundreds or thousands of kilometres. The increasing adoption of Mk41 by the RN adds to the pressure on MBDA to ensure this critical Anglo-French weapon development project is successful and delivered in 5 years’ time. Equally important will be a funding line to purchase a good stock of missiles to fill the Mk41 cells to ensure the RN is not left with missile tubes filled with nothing but fresh air.
The RN is acquiring 11 Naval Strike Missile sets, the first of which will be fitted to HMS Somerset this year. NSM is a small, but highly stealthy anti-ship missile with a light land-attack capability. As the Type 23s are phased out of service, it is likely the NSM launchers will eventually be migrated onto the Type 31s, further enhancing their offensive firepower.
Main image: Approximate mock-up only. At -
https://www.navylookout.com/royal-navys ... ch-system/
