The Forrestal-class aircraft carriers were a four-ship class designed and built for the United States Navy in the 1950s. The Forrestal class was the first class of "supercarriers" of the Navy, so called because of their then-extraordinarily high tonnage (75,000 tons, 25% larger than the WW2-era Midway class), full integration of the angled deck (Forrestal and Saratoga were laid down as axial deck carriers and converted to angled deck ships while under construction; Ranger and Independence were laid down as angled deck ships and had various minor improvements compared to the first two), very large island and most importantly their extremely strong air wing (80-100 jet aircraft, compared to 65-75 for the Midway class and less than 50 for the Essex class). Compared to the Midway class, the Forrestals were 100 feet longer and nearly 30 feet beamier, resulting in a far more stable and comfortable aircraft platform even in very rough weather.

Forrestal-class ships were the first examples of supercarriers and thus not quite a perfected design; their elevators in particular were poorly arranged for aircraft handling (the portside elevator was almost completely useless, as it was located at the fore end of the angled deck, in the landing path as well as the launch path of aircraft from the #3 and #4 catapults). The subsequent Kitty Hawk class moved the portside elevator to the aft end of the angle and reversed the position of the island and the second starboard elevator, vastly improving aircraft handling.