U.S. Navy ENSIGN Thomas Amano supervises flight operations during the Carrier Air Wing fly-off aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63) on Sept. 12, 2006. Currently underway in the Pacific Ocean, KITTY HAWK demonstrates power projection and sea control as the USN's only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier. In the background is an SH-60F Seahawk helicopter. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication SPECIALIST SEAMAN Joshua Wayne LeGrand) (Released)

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.