From high above the flight deck aboard the US Navy Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN 76), two USN Sailors from the Air Department watch aircraft landing operations during Fleet Replacement Squadron Carrier Qualifications in the Pacific Ocean.(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication SPECIALIST 2nd Class Aaron Burden) (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.