A starboard bow view of the Military Sealift Command, HENRY J. KAISER CLASS: Oiler, USNS JOHN LENTHALL (T-AO 189) underway as the UN Navy (USN) Aircraft Carrier USS HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN 75) approaches to conduct Underway Replenishment (UNREP). The US Coast Guard HIGH ENDURANCE CUTTER, USS DALLAS (WHEC 716) is underway in the background. The Truman and Carrier Air Wing 3 (CVW-3) are currently on a six-month 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.