// UNMANNED SYSTEMS AND NEXT-GEN WARFARE TERM
Mk 57
The Mk 57 is an advanced missile launching system used on modern warships, which allows them to store and rapidly fire various types of missiles vertically. It is designed to be highly resistant to battle damage, protecting the ship's vital systems.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
The Mark 57 Vertical Launching System (VLS), also known as PVLS (Peripheral VLS), is a modular, naval weapons system primarily integrated into U.S. Navy surface combatants like the Zumwalt-class destroyers, providing enhanced survivability, larger missile capacity, and rapid deployment for a diverse array of guided missiles.
BACKGROUND
The Mark 41 vertical launching system is a shipborne missile canister launching system which provides a rapid-fire launch capability against hostile threats. The vertical launching system (VLS) concept was derived from work on the Aegis Combat System.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- PVLS
- Peripheral VLS
- Mk 57 VLS
- Vertical Launch System
- Missile Launcher
USAGE NOTE
The Mk 57 is a newer, more robust VLS design compared to the widely used Mk 41, strategically positioned on the ship's periphery for improved damage control and larger missile types.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Mk 57.
A prime contractor for naval combat systems, Lockheed Martin was the combat system integrator for the Zumwalt-class destroyers, which extensively feature the Mk 57 VLS, and develops various missiles compatible with such launch systems.
RTX develops and manufactures a wide range of advanced missile systems, such as the SM-2, SM-6, and ESSM, which are designed to be launched from vertical launching systems like the Mk 57, along with associated radar and fire control technologies.
As one of the lead shipbuilders for the U.S. Navy's Zumwalt-class (DDG-1000) destroyers, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works is responsible for the physical integration and installation of the Mk 57 Peripheral Vertical Launching System (PVLS) onto these advanced naval platforms.
Another key shipbuilder for the Zumwalt-class destroyers, Huntington Ingalls Industries is involved in the detailed design, construction, and integration of complex systems, including the Mk 57 PVLS, into modern naval vessels.
As the U.S. Navy's command responsible for engineering, building, buying, and maintaining ships and their systems, NAVSEA oversees the development, procurement, and deployment of all U.S. Navy shipboard weapon systems, including the Mk 57 VLS.
Northrop Grumman develops advanced naval combat systems, sensors, and command and control technologies that provide critical support and interface capabilities for weapon launching systems such as the Mk 57 VLS.