# Composition of US Carrier Battle Group

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/composition-of-us-carrier-battle-group/236997>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 29, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/composition-of-us-carrier-battle-group/236997 "2004-03-29T02:34:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/composition-of-us-carrier-battle-group/236997/21 "2004-03-31T03:42:44Z")

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The forward launcher, the old “single-armed bandit” was primarily for a surface-to-air missile, the SM-2. The Perry-class frigates also fired Harpoons from them.

Nowadays, Harpoons are fired from canisters loaded onto racks located somewhere topside, and the SM-2 is fired from a Vertical Launch System.

This permits a far greater rate of fire, and allows the simultaneous use of the SM-2 and Harpoon weapons systems.

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