aircraft carrier: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	carrier • airplane carrier

Photos and Videos

USS Carl Vinson

The USS Langley, the first U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, sails on open water with several biplanes visible on its flat deck.

Battle of Midway: USS Yorktown

Aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy

Two British Navy aircraft carriers, HMS Albion in the foreground and HMS Centaur behind, sail at sea with aircraft lined up on their decks.

USS Kitty Hawk; aircraft carrier

Find out how Japan failed to invade Port Moresby despite winning the Battle of the Coral Sea

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

arresting gear Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier Nimitz-class aircraft carrier light fleet carrier escort carrier merchant aircraft carrier airplane warship submarine landing craft cruiser battleship monitor frigate minesweeper destroyer corvette ship of the line

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Carl vinson plows through the Indian ocean as aircraft on its flight deck are prepared for flight operations 3/15/05.

Ships and Underwater Exploration