Page "Airborne early warning and control" Paragraph 7

AEW & C aircraft are used for both defensive and offensive air operations, and are to the NATO and USA forces trained or integrated Air Forces what the Command Information Center is to a Navy Warship, plus a highly mobile and powerful radar platform.

The system is used offensively to direct fighters to their target locations, and defensively in order to counter attacks by enemy forces, both air and ground.

So useful is the advantage of command and control from a high altitude, the United States Navy operates AEW & C aircraft off its Supercarriers to augment and protect its carrier Command Information Centers ( CICs )