In U.S. (and other) Navy-speak, a
surface combatant is just that - a ship designed to carry out
combat operations on the
surface of the water. This is
distinct from, say,
submarines, which carry out combat underneath the surface; and from
noncombatants, of which there are many in the U.S. Navy (
tenders,
freighters,
tankers,
tugs,
research ships,
drydocks, launches, lifeboats,
underway replenishment ships, etc. etc.) and obviously in merchant or civilian service around the world.
Current examples of U.S. Naval surface combatants include: