BAE Systems’ Adaptable Deck Launcher (ADL), designed to enable warships to reload missiles at sea without returning to port, has completed its first live-fire test. The system aims to maintain a high rate of fire by leveraging the existing Mk 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) infrastructure.
The deck-mounted, rapidly deployable and scalable Adaptable Deck Launcher (ADL) aims to double the combat capabilities of the US Navy and allied navies. The system is designed to enhance the operational flexibility, survivability and firepower of warships. ADL was developed for the NATO SeaSparrow Project Office (NSPO) under a contract with the US Department of War (DoW). By leveraging the existing logistics and electronics infrastructure of the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS), it combines reliability with low operating costs.
Rapid At Sea Missile Reloading with the ADL Missile Launch System
ADL’s rapid at-sea reloading capability provides a significant operational advantage by enabling warships to sustain a high rate of fire without returning to port. Jason Casciotti, Vice President of Weapon Systems at BAE Systems, stated that the successful testing of ADL marks an important milestone in efforts to enhance the Navy’s combat effectiveness and operational readiness. Casciotti noted that ADL complements the Mk 41 VLS, which serves as the foundation for missile integration on naval platforms. The system enables rapid reloading using standard shipboard equipment, providing navies with additional flexibility to sustain their missile loadout at sea.
ADL supports air defence and other naval missions aboard aircraft carriers, amphibious ships and other surface combatants. Optimised for unmanned warfare missions, the system can be deployed on medium-sized unmanned surface vessels thanks to its compact configurations. BAE Systems, which is responsible for the mechanical design of the Mk 41 VLS family, developed ADL to be fully compatible with Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) Mk 25 quad-pack missile canisters. These canisters enable warships to conduct air defence operations against supersonic anti-ship missiles, aircraft and other aerial threats.
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Source: C4Defence – BAE Systems
