US Navy (USN) Sailors assigned aboard the USN Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74), participate in a pie eating competition during a 4th of July celebration on the flight deck. The STENNIS and embarked Carrier Air Wing 9 (CVW-9) are currently underway in the Pacific Ocean conducting a Tailored Ship's Training Availability (TSTA)

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.