Surface combatants (or Surface Ships or "Surface Vessels" ) are a subset of naval warships which are designed to engage in combat on the surface of the water, with their own weapons. They are generally ships built to fight other ships, submarines or aircraft, and can carry out several other missions including counter-narcotics operations and maritime interdiction. Their primary purpose is to engage space, air, surface and submerged targets with weapons deployed from the ship itself, rather than by manned carried craft.