[pfflier]

Saw your reference. The spelling of "defence" indicates European origin and European English has many idiomatic differences from American English

The quote in the article is an indirect quote of the "retired petty officer" who if familiar with VLS, would call the tubes launch tubes, launchers or VLS system, unless he wasn't in the US Navy.

It is a hole in the story I can't accept.

[pfflier]

Salinger said that his information had been confirmed by a source who learned of the Navy's involvement from a friend who had a son in the Navy.

Look this kind of path up in any of the "Urban legends" websites. No one ever knows the source person, it is always the friend of a friend who knew...