An HH-46D Sea Knight from Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 6 (HC-6) takes off with a pallet of supplies during an underway replenishment operation aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71). The fleet oiler USNS KANAWHA (T-AO-196) and the amphibious assault ship USS SAIPAN (LHA-2) are in the background. The ROOSEVELT Battle Group is assisting in enforcement of the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina during Operation Deny Flight

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.

Known as the "Phrog", the Sea Knight was used in all U.S. Marine operational environments between its introduction during the Vietnam War. The type's longevity and reputation for reliability led to mantras such as "phrogs phorever" and "never trust a helicopter under 30". During the 1940s and 1950s, American rotorcraft manufacturer Piasecki Helicopter emerged as a pioneering developer of tandem-rotor helicopters; perhaps the most famous of these being the piston-powered H-21 "Flying Banana", an early utility and transport helicopter. During 1955, Piasecki was officially renamed as Vertol Corporation (standing for vertical take-off and landing); it was around this time that work commenced on the development of a new generation of tandem rotor helicopter. During 1956, the new design received the internal company designation of Vertol Model 107, or simply V-107; this rotorcraft differed from its predecessors by harnessing the newly developed turboshaft engine instead of piston-based counterparts. In 1960, American Boeing acquired Vertol and in 1961, it was announced that Boeing Vertol had been selected to manufacture its model 107M for the U.S. Marine Corps. Following the Sea Knight's first flight in August 1962, the military designation was changed to CH-46A.