Aerial port bow view of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) as the large harbor tugs MANISTEE (YTB 782), left, the medium harbor tug ARAWAK (YTM 702), foreground, and the large harbor tug CANONCHET (YTB 823) assist in moving it away from the pier upon departure

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.