An aerial starboard quarter view of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65) tied up to the north side of pier 11. The Canadian frigate HMCS TERRA NOVA (DDE-259) is making a port visit and is tied up on the south side

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.