“C” means aircraft carrier, “V” indicates fixed wing and “N” stands for nuclear powered. So CVN means (in Navy-speak) “aircraft carrier, fixed wing, nuclear powered”.
the Enterprise is the 65th fleet carrier.
so, CVN-65
Pardon my ignorance but what’s the diff between a fixed wing carrier and other?
I served on board the JFK
Actually, CVN is: Cruiser aViation Nuclear powered. (Carriers were originally considered have a scouting/screening role like Cruisers. And they couldn't be CA "Aircraft Cruiser", because at the time, CA was "Armoured Cruiser".)
Historically, no.
C actually means Cruiser.
Then, C was broken down to subtypes, which varied over time. CL (light cruisers), CA (Armored, later heavy, cruisers), CB (Large Cruisers), CLAA (light anti-aircraft cruisers), CLG, CAG, CG, CGN (various size and powered missile cruisers.) Add V for Carriers - CVE (small escort carriers), CVL (light carriers), CV, CVA, and CVB, CVN fleet carriers. Some of the World War II carriers were literally cruiser hulls that had been topped with a carrier deck.
To respond to another question up thread, seaplane carriers carried an AV designation in the US Navy, and were considered auxiliaries. Helocopter carriers are classed as landing ships, and carry one of the "L" prefixes. Some other navies classed ships as seaplane carriers and helicopter carriers, respectively.
That’s aircraft carrier, fixed wing, nuclear powered, quantity one (1) each.