Onboard the Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier, USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN-74), US Navy Photographer's Mate Third Class Todd Darnell of VF-143 makes final adjustments prior to loading the KS 87 aerial film magazine on the flight deck during daily flight operations. The USS JOHN C. STENNIS is deployed in the Persian Gulf in support of the Southwest build-up. (Officially released by COMFIFTHFLT Public Affairs)

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.