The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72) sails with ships of the Argentine Task Group, the destroyer ARA SARANDI (D-13) and the frigates ARA PARKER (F-44) and ARA GUERRICO (F-32) during the LINCOLNs circumnavigation cruise around South America

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.