Ready for launch

Aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) at sea – An E-2C Hawkeye from Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 115 prepares to launch from catapult one aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). The Hawkeyes, also known as an airborne naval command post, keeps maintains electronic surveillance for targets at ranges which surface ships may not be able to reach. Kitty Hawk can only see approximately 240 nautical miles. But with the help of the Link 11 and Link 16 computer network aboard the aircraft, the entire battle group can see what the Hawkeye aircraft are seeing beyond the ship’s radar limits.