US Navy flight deck crew members inspect their F/A-18 Hornet aircraft before the commencement of flight operations onboard USN Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74). The STENNIS and embarked Carrier Air Wing 9 are operating together during a Composite Training Unit Exercise in the Pacific Ocean.(U.S Navy photo by Mass Communication SPECIALIST 1ST Class Johnnie Robbins) (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.