A close-up view of the nose of an Attack Squadron 72 (VA-72) A-7E Corsair II aircraft being positioned during flight operations aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69). Drawbars, visible at the front of the aircraft, secure the plane to an MD-3A tow tractor

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.