Article Posted on : - Aug 13, 2010

The Extensible Launching System has been designed for integration in the US Navy’s inventory of Vertical Launching Systems aboard surface warships. A Lockheed photo

BALTIMORE (BNS): Lockheed Martin-designed new Extensible Launching System (ExLS) has successfully tested a Nulka anti-ship missile defence system in vertical configuration for the first time.

The flight test culminated three years of development and integration efforts to validate the ExLS architecture. It also demonstrated the new launcher in a fully tactical configuration, Lockheed said.

An Extensible Launching System (ExLS) is a low-cost alternative to integrate new missiles and munitions into the US Navy’s inventory of Vertical Launching Systems (VLS) aboard surface warships.

The Vertical Launching Systems, such as the MK 41, are fitted below the Navy’ surface ships and can fire a variety of missiles including anti-air, anti-submarine, surface-to-surface, and strike.

The ExLS is installed in the existing Vertical Launching System (VLS) cell, providing a common solution for integrating missiles. It enables rapid deployment of completely assembled weapons and munitions, such as the Nulka, to augment traditional VLS missions and eliminate the need for separate topside launchers.