USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) Country: USA Type: Aircraft carrier Service: 1961 - 2008 Ordered: 1 October 1955 Laid down: 27 December 1956 Launched: 21 May 1960 Commissioned: 29 April 1961

The Kitty Hawk-class supercarriers of the United States Navy were an incremental improvement on the Forrestal-class vessels. The biggest differences from the Forrestals are greater length, and a different placement of elevators; two are forward of the island, one is aft of the island and another on the portside stern. Four were built, all in the 1960s, Kitty Hawk (CV-63) (1961–2008), Constellation (CV-64) (1961–2003), America (CV-66) (1965–1996) and John F. Kennedy (CV-67) (1967–2007).

The supercarrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), formerly CVA-63, is the lead ship of the Kitty Hawk class of aircraft carriers and she is also the last active ship of her class and the only conventionally fueled aircraft carrier still in active service with the US Navy. USS Kitty Hawk was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey, 27 December 1956, launched 21 May 1960 and commissioned 21 April 1961 at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. From that time to the present, USS Kitty Hawk has been in active service while also being upgraded to remain combat capable. USS Kitty Hawk is scheduled to return to the United States for decommissioning on 31 January 2009.