Aerial port bow view of part of Task Group 70, including the amphibious command ship USS BLUE RIDGE (LCC-19) and the aircraft carrier battle groups USS RANGER (CV-61) and MIDWAY (CV-41) underway

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.