Aerial starboard view of (left to right) the guided missile cruiser USS BIDDLE (CG 34), the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS TEXAS (CGN 39), the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS MISSISSIPPI (CGN 40) and the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS NIMITZ (CVN 68) 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.