The aircraft carrier has been the staple of naval power and supremacy, especially after the multi-theater conflict in the Second World War. Aircraft carriers are seafaring military bases whose sole purpose is extending the influence of the nations that operate them, floating cities allowing for the conduction of war on a global scale. Since civilian pilot Eugene Ely first flew his Curtiss pusher plane off of the modified American Birmingham cruiser, carrier usage and technology has advanced dramatically. The carrier and carrier group has become the de facto method of projecting power for the world's strongest militaries.