USS George Washington CVN-73
1992 - Active

From humble beginnings supporting balloon reconnaissance ascents from plank decks on barges during the Civil War, modern aircraft carriers are the world's most powerful warships. Designed to cover great distances at high speeds, carriers execute a variety of tactical and strategic missions and provide rapid response to crises that fall short of war. In recent years that has included shows of strength in the Persian Gulf, serving as floating bases of operations off of Haiti, and supporting NATO efforts in the Adriatic.

During WWI, the Navy catapulted seaplanes from refitted battleships and cruisers. But it was during WWII that the carrier truly became the ""new queen of the seas"" as it dominated the war in the Pacific. Twenty-three sister ships were constructed in 1941 and later became the core of the Fast Carrier Task Forces. WWII also saw the development of escort carriers to provide fighter cover and close air support for Pacific landing operations, notably at Coral Sea and Midway. The twelve active carriers of today's navy are over 1000 feet and accommodate crews of 5,000 and nearly 100 planes. Seven are nuclear-powered and five are powered by oil burning boilers.

The first nuclear-powered carrier was the Enterprise, commissioned in 1961; all have been nuclear since the Nimitz in 1975. The final Nimitz class ship is currently being constructed, and a new carrier class, the CVNX, will start construction in 2006. The new class is being designed to reduce onboard manning and total ownership costs, and will replace the steam-powered catapults with an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launching System.