Surface combatants (orsurface ships orsurface vessels) are a subset of navalwarships which are designed forwarfare on the surface of the water, with their own weapons and armed forces. They are generally ships built to fight other ships, submarines, aircraft or land targets, and can carry out several other missions including counter-narcotics operations andmaritime interdiction. Their primary purpose is to engage space, air, surface, and submerged targets with weapons deployed from the ship itself, rather than by crewed carried craft.[1]
Surface ships includecruisers,destroyers,frigates, andcorvettes, and several outdated types includingbattleships andbattlecruisers. The category does not includeaircraft carriers,amphibious assault ships, andmine hunters, as these generally do not use on board weapons system (i.e. aircraft carriers generally only attack with their aircraft, and mine hunters are not primarily combat vessels). However, some warships combine aspects of the surface combatant and other roles, such as the RussianKuznetsov-class aircraft carrier, which carries both aircraft and an array of conventional armament (the class is sometimes termed a "heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser").[citation needed]
Modernnaval warfare is divided into three operational areas:anti-surface warfare (ASUW),anti-air warfare (AAW), andanti-submarine warfare (ASW). The current canonical combined arms navaltask force or task group centers around aflagship hosting dedicated command elements to conduct tactical operations within each of these areas. In smaller surface action groups (i.e. a single or a few task elements, such as a loneAegis-equipped destroyer or cruisers on patrol), the samecombatant commander may be responsible for managing all three areas as part of his duty in carrying out his vessel's mission, while larger formations such as acarrier strike group may have an individual commander in charge of each separate warfare element. Western naval career advancement forunrestricted line officers also follow this model: a career line officer in a command-oriented track will specialize, train, and be billeted into distinct surface, naval aviation, or subsurface warfare posts.[citation needed]
Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) is an important role for surface combatants, as submarines present a serious threat to navies and civilian vessels. Many surface combatants carry weapons and sensors to engage submarines, but increasingly an on-boardhelicopter is used as the primary anti-submarine asset.
Anti-surface warfare (attacking enemy ships) is typically carried out usinganti-ship missiles, often from the ship but also from helicopters - particularly against small ships such asfast attack craft.Naval guns may also be used in an anti-surface role.
Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is typically defensive in nature, protecting the ship and other friendly ships against both aircraft and incoming missiles (which may be fired from aircraft, but also from other ships, submarines or land platforms). Some surface combatants are developinganti-ballistic missile and/oranti-satellite missile capabilities.
Land attack takes two main forms:
In theUnited States Navy, there are two divisions of surface combatantmissions:[2]
