A port bow view of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70) arriving in port with crew members manning the rail. Underway alongside are the large harbor tugs TAMAQUA (YTB 797) and MANDAN (YTB 794)

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.