U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Gerald R. Beaman CMDR., Strike Force Training Pacific, launches from the flight deck in an F/A-18 Super Hornet assigned to the"Black Aces"of Strike Fighter Squadron) 41 aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS NIMITZ (CVN 68) off the coast of Southern Calif., Dec. 8, 2006. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication SPECIALIST 3rd Class Roland Franklin) (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.