My personal feeling about the "suspected to be 09IIIB" VLS count, is that some level of weight should be given to the original model from 2021(?) showing 18 cells in a 3 x 6 format mostly because of how well that model externally seemed to correspond with the few images we've had of the actual 09IIIB taken from a few different angles (satellite, on the water).
There of course also is the art at an official exhibit a year or two after that model, which showed a cell configuration of up to 24 individual cells, while retaining consistency with the rest of the model's externalities.
All of which is to say, with the image showing the 12 cells displayed, I think it's useful to take it as a minimum count for now, until we have clearer imagery which allows us to confidently rule out having any further cells.
As for whether they are able to fit VLS cells (whether it's 12, 18 or 24) in an 09IIIB while retaining the same overall length of a 09III/A, imo that is largely inconsequential.
We receive what the PLA watching grapevine gives us and then we try to rationalize a reasonable explanation after that. If there are a few reasonable plausible explanations (e.g.: substantial internal rework, new and more miniaturized subsystems, etc which frees up hull length for VLS tubes without needing extension of the overall hull length), then we can simply park it as a "who cares".
There of course also is the art at an official exhibit a year or two after that model, which showed a cell configuration of up to 24 individual cells, while retaining consistency with the rest of the model's externalities.
All of which is to say, with the image showing the 12 cells displayed, I think it's useful to take it as a minimum count for now, until we have clearer imagery which allows us to confidently rule out having any further cells.
As for whether they are able to fit VLS cells (whether it's 12, 18 or 24) in an 09IIIB while retaining the same overall length of a 09III/A, imo that is largely inconsequential.
We receive what the PLA watching grapevine gives us and then we try to rationalize a reasonable explanation after that. If there are a few reasonable plausible explanations (e.g.: substantial internal rework, new and more miniaturized subsystems, etc which frees up hull length for VLS tubes without needing extension of the overall hull length), then we can simply park it as a "who cares".