similarly tapered ribs on a missile launch container as will be described these slots 40 and 42 support a missile shipping and launch container 44 having a plurality more particularly four substantially identical ribs 46 48 50 and 52 extending radially outward therefrom at equal amgular positions about 90 u00b0 from one another around the central axis thereof these ribs are slightly tapered to cooperatively engage similarly slightly tapered grooves or slots in the rails 36 and 38 because of the angle thereof the missile launch tube 44 is held in position in the chamber 32 a missile 54 packaged and shipped in the container remains in the container until launched as best seen in fig3 the container includes covers 54 and 56 over the fore and aft ends of the launch tube the ribs or at least one or more thereof includes a notch 58 for receiving a retaining pin or pawl for retaining the launch tube in position in the rail preferably the rails are tapered from the aft end to the forward end similarly matching similar tapers of the slots in the rails 36 and 38 to thereby ease the insertion of the launch tube into the slots or grooves of the rails this also prevents the mounting of the tubes backwards in the support in operation in order to load the launch support assembly a plurality of missiles in their shipping containers are.