Hunter-killer

From Free net encyclopedia

For the StarCraft Hunter Killer, see Hunter Killer (StarCraft).

For the Top Cow Productions comic series Hunter-Killer, see Hunter-Killer (comic).

Hunter-Killer is a military term used to describe any team in which the roles of "sensor" and "shooter" are separated. A hunter-killer team's primary mission is to seek out and destroy the enemy, particularly in contexts where the enemy is attempting to evade detection rather than seek engagement.

Examples include

• pairs of F-4G "Wild Weasels" and F-16Cs, where the F-4G "hunter" can detect, identify, and locate an enemies radar and then direct the F-16C's weapons to the site
• M2 Bradley Infantry / Cavalry Fighting Vehicle often "hand off" fire missions to M1 Abrams main battle tanks
• one or more antisubmarine aircraft carriers and a number of escort vessels whose primary mission is to detect and destroy submarines

Smaller submarines tasked with coastal defense are sometimes referred to as "hunter-killers" even though they may not operate in teams with other platforms. In the United States Navy and Canadian Navy such submarine types are given the hull classification symbol "SSK".