Massive FirePower: Should The Navy Bring Back Iowa-Class Battleships?
Kris Osborn · May 13, 2025
by Kris Osborn, President, Warrior
Delivering high-volumes of supportive fires, two Iowa-class battleships performed their final mission during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The famous, heavily armed warships were large WWII-era warships resurrected in the 1980s and brought back to service as part of President Reagan’s effort to build a 600-ship Navy.
Prior to this, the Iowa-class battleships are famous for decades of successful service in support of the US Navy, as they also performed with success during the Korean War and WWII. During the WWII war in the Pacific, large Iowa-class battleships functioned as “escorts” for the Essex-class carriers.
Some have questioned whether Iowa-class ships should make a comeback, given their sheer firepower and ability to “blanket” enemy areas with attacks.
https://warriormaven.com/sea/27229
