I will have to apologize The 9M317ME does fold its tail fins somewhere , unlike the 9M317M. Folded fins are not flushed to the missile's body however, some gap has to exist. Individual missiles need to be put into a canister and that canister actually makes up the missile's storage allowance on a VLS. If damage is concern that will prevent the VLS doors to be opened, you can open all the VLS doors prior to entering battle. If heat is a concern --- in a launcher like the U-VLS --- the hot gases do not vent out to a central system but out from the VLS itself --- which is truly is in such a VLS, there is always the option of cold launching the missile. In which case here is the 9M317ME missile again in the canister, which is closed on the bottom, which is connected to two wires.
You cannot launch missiles simultaneously without the risk of collision, but they can be ripple fired rapidly which almost have the same effect. The question now becomes how much the FCS radar can manage feeding target tracking data to the missiles. SARH missiles are tied to one target illumination radar, the mechanical parabolic SPG-62 is tied to one missile on its terminal stage one at a time. The Orekh MR90 can handle two within the same hemisphere being a phase array design. You can increase the number of missiles up in the air but you still can't fire the missiles simultaneously as the illumination need to take turns, like a time sharing effect on the missiles If you have a bigger phase array or an AESA for target illumination, and you can digitally form multiple beams, you can certainly handle more SARH missiles at one time. The S-300 Flap Lids are known to handle as much as six from one set. This is a problem with the ESSM, which isn't going to go active until the Block II version is released.
If you have active guided missiles, then its not the illumination that is the bottleneck but how much high quality tracks you can get from the radar's track while scan modes. The Skydragon 50 itself as a land SAM is tied to a relatively simple set of the IBIS 150 or 200 search radar, with an FW2 fire control radar, both equipment appears to be what the LY-80 is using and don't seem to be the fancy AESA sets, but with the SD50 is capable of engaging as many as 12 targets. That's saturation ability without much cost.
Another thing I like to add that with a naval SD50, even if the PLAN doesn't use it yet, it can be an attractive option for warship exports, which Chinese shipbuilders don't get a lot lately. Without a counter to ESSM or Aster 15, Chinese options will be in a disadvantage. Furthermore, the Koreans are offering their own ESSM equivalent the K-SAAM on their own frigate exports. I am thinking of something like the C28 frigate with a VLS for the SD50, and you don't need to put Orekhs and stuff for HQ-16s. Even an F22P sized vessel can appreciate an 8 cel VLS with 24 SD50s. (Note the Thailand Type 053 hull based Nanshuan frigates that are fitted with 8 cel Mk. 41s and ESSMs.)
