PH2 Buckner Hudson River, New York City....The guided missile cruiser USS Ticonderoga (CG-47), its crew manning the rails, makes its way past a fire boat that is spraying streams of water into the air in a welcoming gesture. The Ticonderoga, as part of the battle group accompanying the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CV-59), is visiting New York City to take part in Fleet Week '89. OFFICIAL U.S. NAVY PHOTO (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.