This is actually not technically the newest class of ship in today’s navies. The first use of a ship to conduct airborne operations was back in 1806 when the Royal Navy's Lord Thomas Cochrane launched kites from the 32-gun frigate HMS Pallas in order to drop propaganda leaflets on the French territory. Today we think of a carrier only being used to operate fixed wing aircraft or helicopters.

In July of 1849 a hot air balloon was launched from Austrian Navy ship Vulcano to drop bombs on Venice. The mission was a failure due to the winds not helping. Then during the Civil war balloons were operated from barges during the Peninsula Campaign. The gas filled balloons were used to scout positions of the Confederate forces.

Carrier development was stagnant until after the invention of the airplane in 1903. The early carriers were mostly used to either support or carry seaplanes. They were not built to carry regular aircraft. In 1909 French inventor Clément Ader published his idea for an aircraft carrier.

"An airplane-carrying vessel is indispensable. These vessels will be constructed on a plan very different from what is currently used. First of all the deck will be cleared of all obstacles. It will be flat, as wide as possible without jeopardizing the nautical lines of the hull, and it will look like a landing field." - Clément Ader from “L'Aviation Militaire” 1909.

The US Naval planners took note of this work and in 1910 Eugene Ely took off from a stationary USS Birmingham and flew his plane to Willoughby Spit after a short flight. In 1911 he once again took part in another first, landing on a ship, the USS Pennsylvania anchored in San Francisco. In 1912

Commander Charles Rumney Samson from the Royal Navy took off and landed on a ship while underway at sea. 1914 saw the first attack from sea launched aircraft. Japan conducted an attack in the Battle of Tsingtao in China.

World War I also saw advances in carrier design and also more uses in warfare. HMS Ark Royal is considered by some as the first true aircraft carrier. Like many early carriers she was originally laid down as a different ship and converted to a carrier. HMS Argus was the first ship to be covered by a full length flat deck. HMS Hermes was the first purpose built carrier to be laid down. IJN Honsho was the first purpose built carrier to be commissioned.

After World War I the prevailing feeling in the worlds Navies was the battleship and battle fleet would be the primary weapon in naval warfare. Carriers and aircraft were to be used in a scouting role and attack targets on land. Some people did feel carriers could be used as the primary weapon at sea, but they were mostly kept in the back row.

During World War II the carrier came of age. Japan used its carrier aircraft to wreak havoc among the allies during late 1941 and early 1942. Carriers became the main naval weapon during the war and changes were made to reflect their importance. They were now the centerpiece of the battle group. They were protected by a ring of supporting ships, including the once king of the seas, the battleship.

As aircraft improved in performance the carrier grew to match this. Their flight decks, in some cases, grew larger and were angled. Their own weapon systems got stronger as did their engineering plants. Carriers have become to true kings of the worlds oceans now. When there is a problem around the world the president will normally ask first, “Where are the carriers?”