Instant Alert: These helicopters and planes make US aircraft carriers a force to be reckoned with

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   These helicopters and planes make US aircraft carriers a force to be reckoned with by Alex Lockie on May 28, 2016, 9:52 AM Advertisement A recent video from the US Naval Institute takes us aboard the USS John C. Stennis with the 9th Carrier Wing to detail the role, functions, and capabilities of every single plane and helicopter on the ship. The US's 10 operational aircraft carriers each measures nearly 1,100 feet in length, house as many as 6,000 sailors, and support more than 70 aircraft. These are some of the most complex and imposing machines ever made by man. From providing mobile air superiority and striking ground targets to jamming enemy radar, hunting submarines, or routine logistics support, the Carrier Wing group has a tool for each job. Get an inside look below at the air power that the US Navy's 9th Carrier Wing can bring to bear on short notice to any location in the world. SEE ALSO: The US Navy has a new trick up its sleeve, and it could be a game changer SEE ALSO: 19 photos proving the US's aircraft carriers are the ultimate weapon F-18s Four of the eight squadrons and one detachment aboard a carrier wing fly F-18s in either one or two seat varieties. The plane serves a dual purpose as a "both a fighter and an attack airplane," meaning it can engage enemy aircraft with "all the different types of missiles and weapons systems," as well as hitting all targets on the ground. "For the attack role, they can shoot almost all weapons in the US inventory," Capt. Rich ‘Snap’ Brophy, the commander of Carrier Air Wing 9, told the US Naval Institute.   E/A-18Gs Though it looks almost identical to the F-18, the E/A-18G Growler has a totally different role. "Anytime a radar sets off any type of signal, this airplane is able to pick up that signal, classify it, locate it, and hopefully target it if it needs to," Brophy explains.  E-2 Brophy describes the E-2 as the "quarterback in the sky." The large propeller-driven plane carries a giant radar on top and shares that information with the entire strike group. "They help link one warfare commander to the other commanders and really help ensure that the picture is fused across all the various warfare commanders," Brophy said. See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011