A Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron 5 (HS-5) SH-3 Sea King helicopter flies over the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS HAMMERHEAD (SSN-663) as it prepares to deliver a gift from the commanding officer of the nucleear-powered aircraft carrier USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN-73) to the HAMMERHEAD's crew

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.