Aircraft carrier (CV/CVN)

An aircraft carrier is a warship that operates fixed-wing aircraft from a full-length flight deck, serving as a mobile air base and the centerpiece of a carrier strike group. In US Navy hull classification CV denotes a conventionally powered carrier and CVN a nuclear-powered one, where the trailing N marks nuclear propulsion. The Nimitz and Ford classes displace about 100,000 tons at full load on roughly 333 meters length overall, carry an air wing of around 60 to 75 aircraft, and use catapults plus arresting gear (CATOBAR). Carriers concentrate offensive air power far from friendly bases, which is why they sit at the top of fleet capital expenditure.