A RIM-116A Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) is fired from the US Navy (USN) Aircraft Carrier USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63) during a test of the ships newly installed system. RAM is a lightweight quick-reaction high-firepower anti-ship weapon system designed as an all-weather, high-firepower, low-cost, self-defense system against anti-ship missiles. This is the first time an aircraft carrier has utilized the RAM system. The KITTY HAWK is conducting work-ups in preparation for a scheduled deployment

Aircraft carriers are warships that act as airbases for carrier-based aircraft. In the United States Navy, these consist of ships commissioned with hull classification symbols CV (aircraft carrier), CVA (attack aircraft carrier), CVB (large aircraft carrier), CVL (light aircraft carrier), CVN (aircraft carrier (nuclear propulsion) and CVAN (attack aircraft carrier (nuclear propulsion). The first aircraft carrier commissioned into the United States Navy was USS Langley (CV-1) on 20 March 1922.