Mk 41
The current generation of American-produced VLS is known as the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System. It is capable of carrying an extremely wide range of missiles, including the Sea Sparrow naval self defense, short range SAM, SM-2 medium range/long range SAM/SSM, VLA anti-submarine missile with Mk-46 torpedo warhead, very similar to the ASROC, and the Tomahawk cruise missile (long range strike). There are also plans to increase the number of missiles it is capable of carrying.
“I beg to differ:
Mk 41
The current generation of American-produced VLS is known as the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System. It is capable of carrying an extremely wide range of missiles, including the Sea Sparrow naval self defense, short range SAM, SM-2 medium range/long range SAM/SSM, VLA anti-submarine missile with Mk-46 torpedo warhead, very similar to the ASROC, and the Tomahawk cruise missile (long range strike). There are also plans to increase the number of missiles it is capable of carrying.”
I beg to differ as well since the Mk-41 is for surface combatants:
“MK 41 VLS
Description
The MK 41 VLS is a modular, below deck missile launching system that was originally designed for the Navy’s Aegis-equipped guided missile cruisers to provide air threat protection for naval battle groups. The MK 41 VLS is a multi-missile, multi-mission launcher, capable of launching SM-2, SM-3, SM-6, ESSM, Tomahawk, and Vertical Launch ASROC missiles.
Platforms:
DDG 51 Class (DDG 51 – 112)
CG 47 Class (CG 52 – 73)
Eleven Allied Nations”
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=2100&tid=550&ct=2
The VLS used on the Los Angeles Class submarines consist of 12 tubes to launch the Tomahawk cruise missiles. These 12 “VLS” cells are basically upward firing torpedo tubes and use compressed air t opush the missile out of the tube once clear of the surface, the booster ignites lobbing the missile upto around 1500 feet before burnout and deployment of the wings and engine start up.
As it’s been said before, submarines do not employ surface to air missiles. They have never been tested with surface to air missiles, and will never have that capability tested.
What you have described is a lauch system for surface to surface cruise missiles, not surface to air anti-aircraft missile. Tomahawks, and Harpoons for that matter though they are fired from torpedo tubes, fly at low altitudes. Usually only a few hundred feet off the surface. As such they are harder to locate, harder to hit, and pose absolutely no threat to aircraft of any kind.
Neither missile requires targeting assistance from the sub, while a surface to air missile would. Your claim of some sort of sub-launched SAM still makes zero sense for all the reasons I mentioned earlier.