An aerial view of a Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron 2 (HS-2) SH-3H Sea King helicopter slowly sinking under the water. The helicopter crashed after suffering engine failure while conducting a routine anti-submarine warfare patrol around the aircraft carrier USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63)

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.