US Navy (USN) Aviation Ordnanceman Third Class (AO3) Jason Boulin (foreground) signals to USN Lieutenant (LT) Matt Menza, an EA-6B Prowler aircraft Pilot assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron One Four Zero (VAQ-140) while conducting a preflight check of the aircraft aboard the US Navy (USN) NIMITZ CLASS: Aircraft Carrier USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73). CVN 73 and embarked Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7) are on a scheduled deployment in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM

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.