A starboard bow view of the Italian light aircraft carrier ITS GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI (C-551) underway during the NATO Southern Region exercise DRAGON HAMMER '90. Following behind the GARIBALDI is the amphibious assault ship USS SAIPAN (LHA 2)

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.