US Navy Landing Signal Officers look on as an F/A-18C Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron 125 makes an arrested landing onboard the Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN 76) during operations in the Pacific Ocean. REAGAN is currently underway conducting Fleet Replacement Squadron Carrier Qualifications.(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication SPECIALIST 3rd Class Christopher D. Blachly) (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.