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{{Organization
|OrganizationName=Navy
|OrganizationType=Executive Departments (Sub-organization)
|Mission=The U.S. Navy maintains, trains, and equips combat-ready naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression, and maintaining freedom of the seas. It supports national strategies by projecting power and ensuring maritime security worldwide.
|ParentOrganization=Department of Defense
|TopOrganization=Department of Defense
|CreationLegislation=Continental Congress resolution on October 13, 1775; formally established by the Naval Act of 1794
|Employees=437000
|Budget=Approximately $205 billion (Fiscal Year 2023, part of the Department of Defense budget)
|OrganizationExecutive=Chief of Naval Operations
|Services=Naval warfare; Maritime security; Humanitarian assistance; Disaster response; Naval aviation; Submarine operations
|HeadquartersLocation=38.87366, -77.05613
|HeadquartersAddress=1000 Navy Pentagon, Washington, DC 20350-1000, USA
|Website=https://www.navy.mil
}}
{{Short description|Maritime warfare service branch of the U.S. military}}
{{Short description|Maritime warfare service branch of the U.S. military}}
{{redirect|USN}}
{{redirect|USN}}
{{For|civilian military department for naval forces|United States Department of the Navy}}
{{For|civilian military department for naval forces|United States Department of the Navy}}
{{Organization
 
|OrganizationName= United States Navy (USN)
|OrganizationType= Executive Departments (Sub-organization)
|Mission= The U.S. Navy maintains, trains, and equips combat-ready naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression, and maintaining freedom of the seas. It supports national strategies by projecting power and ensuring maritime security worldwide.
|OrganizationExecutive= Chief of Naval Operations
|Employees= 336000 (Active duty) + 101000 (Reserve) = 437000 total uniformed personnel
|Budget= Approximately $205 billion (Fiscal Year 2023, part of the Department of Defense budget)
|Website= https://www.navy.mil
|Services= Naval warfare; Maritime security; Humanitarian assistance; Disaster response; Naval aviation; Submarine operations
|ParentOrganization= U.S. Department of Defense
|CreationLegislation= Continental Congress resolution on October 13, 1775; formally established by the Naval Act of 1794
|Regulations=
|HeadquartersLocation= 38.873657, -77.056131
|HeadquartersAddress= 1000 Navy Pentagon, Washington, DC 20350-1000, USA
}}
{{United States Armed Forces sidebar}}
{{United States Armed Forces sidebar}}
The '''United States Navy''' ('''USN''') is the [[naval warfare|maritime]] [[military branch|service branch]] of the [[United States Armed Forces]] and one of the eight [[uniformed services of the United States]]. It is the world's most powerful [[navy]] and the largest by tonnage, at 4.5 million tons in 2021<ref>{{cite web |last1=Axe |first1=David |title=Yes, The Chinese Navy Has More Ships Than The U.S. Navy. But It's Got Far Fewer Missiles. |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/11/10/yes-the-chinese-navy-has-more-ships-than-the-us-navy-but-its-got-far-fewer-missiles/?sh=45775f7e61b6 |website=Forbes |date=10 November 2021 |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref> and in 2009 an estimated battle fleet tonnage that exceeded the next 13 navies combined.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/the-russian-navy-is-aiming-to-be-much-larger-than-the-us-navy-2014-9?IR=T |title=The Russian Navy Is Aiming To Be Much Larger Than The US Navy |date=24 September 2014 |work=Business Insider |access-date=12 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126035318/http://www.businessinsider.com/the-russian-navy-is-aiming-to-be-much-larger-than-the-us-navy-2014-9?IR=T |archive-date=26 November 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> It has the world's largest [[aircraft carrier]] fleet, with [[List of aircraft carriers in service|11 in service]], one undergoing trials, two new carriers under construction, and six other carriers planned as of 2024. With 336,978 personnel on [[active duty]] and 101,583 in the [[Ready Reserve]], the U.S. Navy is the third largest of the United States military service branches in terms of personnel. It has 299 deployable combat vessels and about 4,012 operational aircraft as of July 18, 2023.<ref>[[#classified|Classified Report to Congress]]</ref><ref>[[#aircraft|Navy aircraft inventory by type U.S. 2024]]</ref>
The '''United States Navy''' ('''USN''') is the [[naval warfare|maritime]] [[military branch|service branch]] of the [[United States Armed Forces]] and one of the eight [[uniformed services of the United States]]. It is the world's most powerful [[navy]] and the largest by tonnage, at 4.5 million tons in 2021<ref>{{cite web |last1=Axe |first1=David |title=Yes, The Chinese Navy Has More Ships Than The U.S. Navy. But It's Got Far Fewer Missiles. |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/11/10/yes-the-chinese-navy-has-more-ships-than-the-us-navy-but-its-got-far-fewer-missiles/?sh=45775f7e61b6 |website=Forbes |date=10 November 2021 |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref> and in 2009 an estimated battle fleet tonnage that exceeded the next 13 navies combined.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/the-russian-navy-is-aiming-to-be-much-larger-than-the-us-navy-2014-9?IR=T |title=The Russian Navy Is Aiming To Be Much Larger Than The US Navy |date=24 September 2014 |work=Business Insider |access-date=12 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126035318/http://www.businessinsider.com/the-russian-navy-is-aiming-to-be-much-larger-than-the-us-navy-2014-9?IR=T |archive-date=26 November 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> It has the world's largest [[aircraft carrier]] fleet, with [[List of aircraft carriers in service|11 in service]], one undergoing trials, two new carriers under construction, and six other carriers planned as of 2024. With 336,978 personnel on [[active duty]] and 101,583 in the [[Ready Reserve]], the U.S. Navy is the third largest of the United States military service branches in terms of personnel. It has 299 deployable combat vessels and about 4,012 operational aircraft as of July 18, 2023.<ref>[[#classified|Classified Report to Congress]]</ref><ref>[[#aircraft|Navy aircraft inventory by type U.S. 2024]]</ref>


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The United States Navy traces its origins to the [[Continental Navy]], which was established during the American Revolutionary War and was effectively disbanded as a separate entity shortly thereafter. After suffering significant loss of goods and personnel at the hands of the [[Barbary pirates]] from [[Algiers]], the [[United States Congress]] passed the [[Naval Act of 1794]] for the construction of [[Original six frigates of the United States Navy|six heavy frigates]], the first ships of the Navy. The United States Navy played a major role in the American Civil War by [[Union blockade|blockading]] the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] and seizing control of its rivers. It played the central role in the [[World War II]] defeat of [[Empire of Japan|Imperial Japan]]. The United States Navy emerged from World War II as the most powerful navy in the world. The modern United States Navy maintains a sizable global presence, deploying in strength in such areas as the Western [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]], the [[Mediterranean]], and the Indian Ocean. It is a [[blue-water navy]] with the ability to [[power projection|project force]] onto the [[littoral zone|littoral regions]] of the world, engage in forward deployments during peacetime and rapidly respond to regional crises, making it a frequent actor in American foreign and military policy.<!-- any history details in between belongs in the History/Origins section below -->
The United States Navy traces its origins to the [[Continental Navy]], which was established during the American Revolutionary War and was effectively disbanded as a separate entity shortly thereafter. After suffering significant loss of goods and personnel at the hands of the [[Barbary pirates]] from [[Algiers]], the [[United States Congress]] passed the [[Naval Act of 1794]] for the construction of [[Original six frigates of the United States Navy|six heavy frigates]], the first ships of the Navy. The United States Navy played a major role in the American Civil War by [[Union blockade|blockading]] the Confederate States of Americaand seizing control of its rivers. It played the central role in the [[World War II]] defeat of [[Empire of Japan|Imperial Japan]]. The United States Navy emerged from World War II as the most powerful navy in the world. The modern United States Navy maintains a sizable global presence, deploying in strength in such areas as the Western [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]], the [[Mediterranean]], and the Indian Ocean. It is a [[blue-water navy]] with the ability to [[power projection|project force]] onto the [[littoral zone|littoral regions]] of the world, engage in forward deployments during peacetime and rapidly respond to regional crises, making it a frequent actor in American foreign and military policy.<!-- any history details in between belongs in the History/Origins section below -->


<!-- today's navy -->
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During the [[Mexican–American War]] the U.S. Navy blockaded Mexican ports, capturing or burning the Mexican fleet in the [[Gulf of California]] and capturing all major cities in [[Baja California]] peninsula. In 1846–1848 the Navy successfully used the [[Pacific Squadron]] under Commodore [[Robert Stockton|Robert F. Stockton]] and its marines and blue-jackets to facilitate the capture of California with large-scale land operations coordinated with the local militia organized in the [[California Battalion]]. The Navy conducted the U.S. military's first large-scale amphibious joint operation by successfully landing 12,000 army troops with their equipment in one day at [[Veracruz (city)|Veracruz]], Mexico. When larger guns were needed to bombard Veracruz, Navy volunteers landed large guns and manned them in the successful bombardment and capture of the city. This successful landing and capture of Veracruz opened the way for the capture of Mexico City and the end of the war.<ref name="multiple1" /> The U.S. Navy established itself as a player in [[United States foreign policy]] through the actions of [[Commodore (USN)|Commodore]] [[Matthew Perry (naval officer)|Matthew C. Perry]] in Japan, which resulted in the [[Convention of Kanagawa]] in 1854.
During the [[Mexican–American War]] the U.S. Navy blockaded Mexican ports, capturing or burning the Mexican fleet in the [[Gulf of California]] and capturing all major cities in [[Baja California]] peninsula. In 1846–1848 the Navy successfully used the [[Pacific Squadron]] under Commodore [[Robert Stockton|Robert F. Stockton]] and its marines and blue-jackets to facilitate the capture of California with large-scale land operations coordinated with the local militia organized in the [[California Battalion]]. The Navy conducted the U.S. military's first large-scale amphibious joint operation by successfully landing 12,000 army troops with their equipment in one day at [[Veracruz (city)|Veracruz]], Mexico. When larger guns were needed to bombard Veracruz, Navy volunteers landed large guns and manned them in the successful bombardment and capture of the city. This successful landing and capture of Veracruz opened the way for the capture of Mexico City and the end of the war.<ref name="multiple1" /> The U.S. Navy established itself as a player in [[United States foreign policy]] through the actions of [[Commodore (USN)|Commodore]] [[Matthew Perry (naval officer)|Matthew C. Perry]] in Japan, which resulted in the [[Convention of Kanagawa]] in 1854.


Naval power played a significant role during the American Civil War, in which the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] had a distinct advantage over the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] on the seas.<ref name="multiple1" /> A [[Union blockade]] on all major ports shut down exports and the coastal trade, but blockade runners provided a thin lifeline. The [[Brown-water navy]] components of the U.S. navy control of the river systems made internal travel difficult for Confederates and easy for the Union. The war saw [[ironclad warship]]s in combat for the first time at the [[Battle of Hampton Roads]] in 1862, which pitted {{USS|Monitor}} against {{ship|CSS|Virginia}}.<ref>{{cite book |last=McPherson |first=James M. |title=War on the Waters: The Union and Confederate Navies, 1861–1865 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=80LQH0Aoe3QC&pg=PA3 |year=2012 |publisher=University of North Carolina Press |isbn=978-0-8078-3588-3 |pages=3–4 |access-date=17 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126040429/https://books.google.com/books?id=80LQH0Aoe3QC&pg=PA3 |archive-date=26 January 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> For two decades after the war, however, the U.S. Navy's fleet was neglected and became [[technologically obsolete]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PZZWBgAAQBAJ&q=us+navy+history|title=The U.S. Navy: A History, Third Edition|last=Miller|first=Nathan|date=5 November 2014|publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=978-1-61251-892-3|language=en}}</ref>
Naval power played a significant role during the American Civil War, in which the Union had a distinct advantage over the Confederate States of Americaon the seas.<ref name="multiple1" /> A [[Union blockade]] on all major ports shut down exports and the coastal trade, but blockade runners provided a thin lifeline. The [[Brown-water navy]] components of the U.S. navy control of the river systems made internal travel difficult for Confederates and easy for the Union. The war saw [[ironclad warship]]s in combat for the first time at the [[Battle of Hampton Roads]] in 1862, which pitted {{USS|Monitor}} against {{ship|CSS|Virginia}}.<ref>{{cite book |last=McPherson |first=James M. |title=War on the Waters: The Union and Confederate Navies, 1861–1865 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=80LQH0Aoe3QC&pg=PA3 |year=2012 |publisher=University of North Carolina Press |isbn=978-0-8078-3588-3 |pages=3–4 |access-date=17 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126040429/https://books.google.com/books?id=80LQH0Aoe3QC&pg=PA3 |archive-date=26 January 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> For two decades after the war, however, the U.S. Navy's fleet was neglected and became [[technologically obsolete]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PZZWBgAAQBAJ&q=us+navy+history|title=The U.S. Navy: A History, Third Edition|last=Miller|first=Nathan|date=5 November 2014|publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=978-1-61251-892-3|language=en}}</ref>


===20th century===
===20th century===
[[File:Us-atlantic-fleet-1907.jpg|thumb|The [[Great White Fleet]] demonstrating U.S. naval power in 1907; it was proof that the U.S. Navy had [[blue-water navy|blue-water capability]].]]
[[File:Us-atlantic-fleet-1907.jpg|thumb|The [[Great White Fleet]] demonstrating U.S. naval power in 1907; it was proof that the U.S. Navy had [[blue-water navy|blue-water capability]].]]


A modernization program beginning in the 1880s when the first steel-hulled warships stimulated the American steel industry, and "the new steel navy" was born.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hacker |first1=Barton C. |last2=Vining |first2=Margaret |title=American Military Technology |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a3KLJN5kigQC&pg=PA53 |year=2007 |page=53 |publisher=The Johns Hopkins University Press |isbn=978-0-8018-8772-7 |access-date=17 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126040429/https://books.google.com/books?id=a3KLJN5kigQC&pg=PA53 |archive-date=26 January 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> This rapid expansion of the U.S. Navy and its decisive victory over the outdated [[Spanish Navy]] in 1898 brought a new respect for American technical quality. Rapid building of at first pre-dreadnoughts, then [[dreadnoughts]] brought the U.S. in line with the navies of countries such as Britain and Germany. In 1907, most of the Navy's battleships, with several support vessels, dubbed the [[Great White Fleet]], were showcased in a 14-month circumnavigation of the world. Ordered by President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], it was a mission designed to demonstrate the Navy's capability to extend to the global theater.<ref name="love"/> By 1911, the U.S. had begun building the super-dreadnoughts at a pace to eventually become competitive with Britain.<ref>{{cite book |last=O'Brien |first=Phillips P. |title=British and American Naval Power: Politics and Policy, 1900–1936 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gf1_mPYBwS8C&pg=PP1 |pages=7, 154–156 |year=1998 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-275-95898-5 |access-date=17 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126040429/https://books.google.com/books?id=gf1_mPYBwS8C&pg=PP1 |archive-date=26 January 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> The 1911 also saw the first naval aircraft with the navy<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.airplanesofthepast.com/us-naval-marine-aviation.htm|title=US Naval & Marine Aircraft|first=Airplanes of the|last=Past|website=www.airplanesofthepast.com|access-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210160849/http://www.airplanesofthepast.com/us-naval-marine-aviation.htm|archive-date=10 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> which would lead to the informal establishment of '''United States Naval Flying Corps''' to protect shore bases. It was not until 1921 [[Bureau of Aeronautics|US naval aviation]] truly commenced.
A modernization program beginning in the 1880s when the first steel-hulled warships stimulated the American steel industry, and "the new steel navy" was born.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hacker |first1=Barton C. |last2=Vining |first2=Margaret |title=American Military Technology |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a3KLJN5kigQC&pg=PA53 |year=2007 |page=53 |publisher=The Johns Hopkins University Press |isbn=978-0-8018-8772-7 |access-date=17 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126040429/https://books.google.com/books?id=a3KLJN5kigQC&pg=PA53 |archive-date=26 January 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> This rapid expansion of the U.S. Navy and its decisive victory over the outdated [[Spanish Navy]] in 1898 brought a new respect for American technical quality. Rapid building of at first pre-dreadnoughts, then [[dreadnoughts]] brought the U.S. in line with the navies of countries such as Britain and Germany. In 1907, most of the Navy's battleships, with several support vessels, dubbed the [[Great White Fleet]], were showcased in a 14-month circumnavigation of the world. Ordered by President Theodore Roosevelt, it was a mission designed to demonstrate the Navy's capability to extend to the global theater.<ref name="love"/> By 1911, the U.S. had begun building the super-dreadnoughts at a pace to eventually become competitive with Britain.<ref>{{cite book |last=O'Brien |first=Phillips P. |title=British and American Naval Power: Politics and Policy, 1900–1936 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gf1_mPYBwS8C&pg=PP1 |pages=7, 154–156 |year=1998 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-275-95898-5 |access-date=17 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126040429/https://books.google.com/books?id=gf1_mPYBwS8C&pg=PP1 |archive-date=26 January 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> The 1911 also saw the first naval aircraft with the navy<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.airplanesofthepast.com/us-naval-marine-aviation.htm|title=US Naval & Marine Aircraft|first=Airplanes of the|last=Past|website=www.airplanesofthepast.com|access-date=4 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210160849/http://www.airplanesofthepast.com/us-naval-marine-aviation.htm|archive-date=10 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> which would lead to the informal establishment of '''United States Naval Flying Corps''' to protect shore bases. It was not until 1921 [[Bureau of Aeronautics|US naval aviation]] truly commenced.


====World War I and interwar years====
====World War I and interwar years====
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[[File:USS George Washington (SSBN-598).jpg|thumb|{{USS|George Washington|SSBN-598|6}}, a ballistic missile submarine]]
[[File:USS George Washington (SSBN-598).jpg|thumb|{{USS|George Washington|SSBN-598|6}}, a ballistic missile submarine]]


The potential for armed conflict with the [[Soviet Union]] during the [[Cold War]] pushed the U.S. Navy to continue its technological advancement by developing new weapons systems, ships, and aircraft. U.S. naval strategy changed to that of forward deployment in support of U.S. allies with an emphasis on carrier battle groups.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/h/history-of-the-us-navy/transoceanic-period.html |title=The Navy: The Transoceanic Period, 1945–1992 |last=Palmer |first=Michael A. |publisher=U.S. Navy |website=[[Naval History & Heritage Command]] |access-date=20 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630002739/http://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/h/history-of-the-us-navy/transoceanic-period.html |archive-date=30 June 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>
The potential for armed conflict with the Soviet Union during the [[Cold War]] pushed the U.S. Navy to continue its technological advancement by developing new weapons systems, ships, and aircraft. U.S. naval strategy changed to that of forward deployment in support of U.S. allies with an emphasis on carrier battle groups.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/h/history-of-the-us-navy/transoceanic-period.html |title=The Navy: The Transoceanic Period, 1945–1992 |last=Palmer |first=Michael A. |publisher=U.S. Navy |website=[[Naval History & Heritage Command]] |access-date=20 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630002739/http://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/h/history-of-the-us-navy/transoceanic-period.html |archive-date=30 June 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>


The navy was a major participant in the [[Korean War|Korean]] and [[Vietnam War]]s, blockaded Cuba during the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]], and, through the use of [[ballistic missile submarines]], became an important aspect of the United States' [[Mutual assured destruction|nuclear strategic deterrence]] policy. The U.S. Navy conducted various combat operations in the Persian Gulf against Iran in 1987 and 1988, most notably [[Operation Praying Mantis]]. The Navy was extensively involved in [[Operation Urgent Fury]], [[Operation Desert Shield (Gulf War)|Operation Desert Shield]], [[Operation Desert Storm]], [[Operation Deliberate Force]], [[Operation Allied Force]], [[Operation Desert Fox]] and [[Operation Southern Watch]].
The navy was a major participant in the [[Korean War|Korean]] and Vietnam Wars, blockaded Cuba during the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]], and, through the use of [[ballistic missile submarines]], became an important aspect of the United States' [[Mutual assured destruction|nuclear strategic deterrence]] policy. The U.S. Navy conducted various combat operations in the Persian Gulf against Iran in 1987 and 1988, most notably [[Operation Praying Mantis]]. The Navy was extensively involved in [[Operation Urgent Fury]], [[Operation Desert Shield (Gulf War)|Operation Desert Shield]], [[Operation Desert Storm]], [[Operation Deliberate Force]], [[Operation Allied Force]], [[Operation Desert Fox]] and [[Operation Southern Watch]].


The U.S. Navy has also been involved in search and rescue/search and salvage operations, sometimes in conjunction with vessels of other countries as well as with U.S. Coast Guard ships. Two examples are the [[1966 Palomares B-52 crash]] incident and the subsequent search for missing hydrogen bombs, and Task Force 71 of the Seventh Fleet's operation in search for [[Korean Air Lines Flight 007]], shot down by the Soviets on 1 September 1983.
The U.S. Navy has also been involved in search and rescue/search and salvage operations, sometimes in conjunction with vessels of other countries as well as with U.S. Coast Guard ships. Two examples are the [[1966 Palomares B-52 crash]] incident and the subsequent search for missing hydrogen bombs, and Task Force 71 of the Seventh Fleet's operation in search for [[Korean Air Lines Flight 007]], shot down by the Soviets on 1 September 1983.
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[[Aircraft carrier|Aircraft carriers]] act as [[Military airbase|airbases]] for [[carrier-based aircraft]]. They are the largest vessels in the Navy fleet and all are nuclear-powered.<ref name="CSR1" /> An aircraft carrier is typically deployed along with a host of additional vessels, forming a [[carrier strike group]]. The supporting ships, which usually include three or four [[Aegis combat system|Aegis]]-equipped cruisers and destroyers, a frigate, and two attack submarines, are tasked with protecting the carrier from air, missile, sea, and undersea threats as well as providing additional strike capabilities themselves. Ready logistics support for the group is provided by a combined ammunition, oiler, and supply ship. Modern carriers are [[United States ship naming conventions|named]] after American admirals and politicians, usually presidents.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=25 June 2020|title=Report to Congress on U.S. Navy Ship Names|url=https://news.usni.org/2020/06/25/report-to-congress-on-u-s-navy-ship-names-9|access-date=22 July 2020|website=USNI News|language=en-US|archive-date=31 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731014035/https://news.usni.org/2020/06/25/report-to-congress-on-u-s-navy-ship-names-9|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[Aircraft carrier|Aircraft carriers]] act as [[Military airbase|airbases]] for [[carrier-based aircraft]]. They are the largest vessels in the Navy fleet and all are nuclear-powered.<ref name="CSR1" /> An aircraft carrier is typically deployed along with a host of additional vessels, forming a [[carrier strike group]]. The supporting ships, which usually include three or four [[Aegis combat system|Aegis]]-equipped cruisers and destroyers, a frigate, and two attack submarines, are tasked with protecting the carrier from air, missile, sea, and undersea threats as well as providing additional strike capabilities themselves. Ready logistics support for the group is provided by a combined ammunition, oiler, and supply ship. Modern carriers are [[United States ship naming conventions|named]] after American admirals and politicians, usually presidents.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=25 June 2020|title=Report to Congress on U.S. Navy Ship Names|url=https://news.usni.org/2020/06/25/report-to-congress-on-u-s-navy-ship-names-9|access-date=22 July 2020|website=USNI News|language=en-US|archive-date=31 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731014035/https://news.usni.org/2020/06/25/report-to-congress-on-u-s-navy-ship-names-9|url-status=live}}</ref>


The Navy has a statutory requirement for a minimum of 11 aircraft carriers.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idCNN0615186020100507?rpc=44 |title=US Navy to Gates: Yes, we need 11 aircraft carriers |work=[[Reuters]] |date=6 May 2010 |last=Wolf |first=Jim |access-date=2 July 2017 |archive-date=31 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131130106/https://www.reuters.com/article/idCNN0615186020100507?rpc=44 |url-status=live }}</ref> All 11 carriers are currently active, ten {{sclass|Nimitz|aircraft carrier|0}} and one {{sclass|Gerald R. Ford|aircraft carrier|0}}.
The Navy has a statutory requirement for a minimum of 11 aircraft carriers.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idCNN0615186020100507?rpc=44 |title=US Navy to Gates: Yes, we need 11 aircraft carriers |work=Reuters |date=6 May 2010 |last=Wolf |first=Jim |access-date=2 July 2017 |archive-date=31 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131130106/https://www.reuters.com/article/idCNN0615186020100507?rpc=44 |url-status=live }}</ref> All 11 carriers are currently active, ten {{sclass|Nimitz|aircraft carrier|0}} and one {{sclass|Gerald R. Ford|aircraft carrier|0}}.


'''Aircraft Carrier Capacity'''
'''Aircraft Carrier Capacity'''
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