US Navy (USN) crewmembers from Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ-139), Cougars, Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, Washington (WA), Aviation Structural Mechanic AIRMAN (AMAN) Scott Wood and Aviation Structural Mechanic Third Class (AM3) Richard Hakes, sit on the wing of a USN EA-6B Prowler aircraft to listen to USN MASTER CHIEF PETTY Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Terry D. Scott [not shown] during his visit on board the Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72)

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.