Component · Sea
Mk 41 Vertical Launching System
Modular vertical missile launching system for surface warships.
by Lockheed Martin · First fielded 1986
FieldedComponentSeaFielded1986
- Milestones1
- Operators—
- Components1
- Programs—
- Capabilities—
- Inputs—
Timeline1
- FieldedConfirmed
Mk 41 enters naval service
The latest 10 milestones. Solid entries are confirmed, outlined reported, dashed estimated or still to come; dotted italic entries are speculative. Dates show only the precision the sources give.
In Service
- First fielded
- 1986
Cost to the Government
Weapon systems · Lockheed Martin
Mk 41 Vertical Launching System
Launcher architecture and missile canister procurement are documented as separate parts of the naval weapon system.
Comparable unit price
Not verified
No comparable standalone unit price was established; package or contract totals are shown separately.
U.S. inventory
Not verified
A current U.S. inventory was not established. Annual procurement, cumulative deliveries and production capacity are not a stockpile count.
U.S. procurement quantity
Not verified
No comparable U.S. procurement quantity was established in this review.
R&D program total
Not verified
A lifetime program R&D total was not established. Development contracts and shared program budgets are not substituted for that total.
Cost & funding breakdown
CBO modeled eight-cell module · derived
$25.667M
CBO 2026 notional Aegis Ashore site · Constant 2026 USD · modeled
Table 3 allocates $154M to six modules. Hypothetical shore-site acquisition estimate, not an actual shipboard module quote.
Congressional Budget Office ↗Launcher cells, canisters and missiles are separate purchases
Mk 41 supports several missile families. A canister contract cannot establish a cell, eight-cell module, installed ship system or missile price.
Operations & sustainment
Annual operations & support
Not verified
A complete, system-specific annual operating and support cost was not established. Procurement, replacement rounds and contract support are different measures.
Cost over time · 1 observations
Each row retains its original scope and dollar basis. Changing quantities, service life and inflation can change the estimate without changing the price of building one unit.
| Observation | Measure | Amount | Dollar basis | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-14 | Missile canister production award Contract scope is canisters, not full VLS modules or ship installation. | $22.22M | Nominal USD; source budget basis | U.S. Department of Defense ↗ |
Contracts & purchasing · 1 records
Award values, ceilings and purchase agreements have different meanings. These records are not added together as total spending.
2025-04-29 · Canister production award
U.S. Navy and Japan → BAE Systems
$22.22M · quantity not established
Awarded April 29; announced May 14, 2025. Mk 29 Mod 0/1 canisters for Mk 41. U.S. share $11,554,499 and Japan share $10,665,691. This is not the price of a complete launcher.
U.S. Department of Defense ↗
Connected missiles & systems
Naval launcher and missile
Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM Block 2) →Listed Mk 41 missile family; support depends on launcher configuration and ship combat-system integration.
Lockheed Martin ↗Naval launcher and missile
Tomahawk Block IV / V →Listed Mk 41 missile family; support depends on launcher configuration and ship combat-system integration.
Lockheed Martin ↗Naval launcher and missile
Standard Missile 2 (SM-2) →Listed Mk 41 missile family; support depends on launcher configuration and ship combat-system integration.
Lockheed Martin ↗Naval launcher and missile
Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) →Listed Mk 41 missile family; support depends on launcher configuration and ship combat-system integration.
Lockheed Martin ↗Naval launcher and missile
Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) →Listed Mk 41 missile family; support depends on launcher configuration and ship combat-system integration.
Lockheed Martin ↗Site component
Aegis Ashore
Ashore incorporates launchers and interceptors; component estimates must not be added to a site total that already includes them.
Congressional Budget Office ↗U.S. Navy / NAVSEA ↗
International buyers
Japan · Quantity not verified · Canister procurement participant · 2025-05-14
48% of this canister award, not 48% of global launcher production or a launcher count.
U.S. Department of Defense ↗
Coverage & open research
- Current U.S. inventory and complete annual operating-and-support costs require additional public evidence.
- Buyer records are selected examples, not a complete global order book.
- Contract unit priceEstimated$2.2MEstimate / observation: 2006-04-11 · Then-year $ · 36 units
Per 8-cell Baseline VII module. NAVSEA $50.6M modification for hardware, design, fabrication and delivery of 36 MK 41 VLS modules (12 per ship for three DDG 51s), completing procurement begun with a $27M long-lead award in Aug 2005: ($50.6M + $27.0M) / 36 = $2,155,556 per module (about $25.9M per 12-module ship set; about $269K per cell).
Source
Unit costs and contract unit prices for this system, and budget figures for the programs that buy it. Each figure states its dollar basis and links its source; contract values are under Programs & awards.