[boarnoah]

Heard (anecdotally on reddit) that its one of the advantages of having hot launch VLS as opposed to cold launch like the Russian style.

That way if there is a failure to launch its contained inside the VLS cell instead of potentially covering the decks in missile components.

Although I suppose a cold launch has a good chance of throwing a failed missile off the deck and into the sea if its at any angle.

[p_l]

Soviet cold-launch approach was to increase the chances that a failed missile would fall to the side instead of exploding the launcher, which is why naval soviet-style launchers are angled - a failure to launch will drop into water.