BAE Wins $53 Million US Navy Mk 41 Vertical Launching System Canisters Contract

BAE Systems announced Monday that it has received a $52.9 million modification contract to provide additional canisters for the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) to the US Navy.

The VLS canisters are used to ship, store, and launch various types of missiles from Navy ships.

The canister contract originally awarded during a June 2013 competition is a five-year, base plus options contract covering fiscal years 2013 through 2017 to meet canister requirements for the Navy. Additional option awards are expected in fiscal years 2016 and 2017. 

The canisters are positioned within the Mk 41 VLS, which is located below a ship’s armored deck for maximum protection. The system accommodates the latest weapon types to meet new mission requirements. VLS canisters serve as missile shipping and storage containers, and, once employed on the ship, have many additional functions.

The canisters contain rocket motor exhaust, serve as a launch rail to support flyout during missile firings, and provide identification and firing support to multiple missile types, including Tomahawks, Standard Missile-3, Standard Missile-6, and SeaSparrow.