Military Defense ·Follow Yesterday at 9:02 AM · The four Iowa-class battleships of the U.S. Navy, USS Iowa (BB-61), USS New Jersey (BB-62), USS Missouri (BB-63), and USS Wisconsin (BB-64), are the most powerful battleships ever built by the United States. Although they belong to the same class, each has distinct historical and operational strengths. Generally, all four have nearly identical specifications: approximately 887 feet in length, a speed of over 30 knots, and a deadly main armament of nine 16-inch guns. During the 1980s modernization, all were also equipped with Tomahawk and Harpoon missiles, making them a unique combination of a classic battleship and a modern missile platform. However, the key difference lies in their track records: USS Iowa (BB-61) is known as the lead ship of its class and nicknamed "The Battleship of Presidents," and served in World War II and Korea. * USS New Jersey (BB-62) holds the most battle stars and is the only one to have served in the Vietnam War, making it the most combat-experienced. * USS Missouri (BB-63) holds the highest historical significance, being the site of the signing of the Japanese surrender that ended World War II. * USS Wisconsin (BB-64) was the last to be decommissioned and saw action until the 1991 Gulf War, demonstrating the longest operational lifespan. While technically equal, these four ships are often considered superior in different areas: Iowa as a pioneer, New Jersey as a combat veteran, Missouri as a symbol of world history, and Wisconsin as the longest-serving in service. #USSIowa #USSNewJersey #USSMissouri #USSWisconsin #IowaClass #Battleship #MilitaryHistory #WorldWar2 #WorldMilitary #NavalHistory

There's that #IowaClass we hear so much about. bUt mAh hAnDsHakE

Completely forgot until right now that a second 406 Mk 7 was obtainable in this rerun. #AzurLane #IowaClass

Sunny days on board the Wisconsin! ☀️ Tag us in your photo with the battleship @nauticusnorfolk. 📸 marissa.daily #nauticus #nauticusnorfolk #battleship #battleshipwisconsin #bb64 #iowaclass #downtownnorfolk

USS Mississippi (#BB41) was the only USN #Battleship armed with missiles outside the modernized #Iowaclass. Here as a test ship firing a RIM-2 Terrier on 28–29 January 1953, off Cape Cod. bit.ly/3cc7ONZ

#OnThisDay in 1943 USS Iowa (BB 61), the lead ship of the last class of #American fast battleships, was commissioned! #NavyHistory #OTD #ThisDayinHistory #USSIowa #IowaClass #WorldWarII #NavyHistory #NavyReadiness

¿Por qué VOLVIERON a la VIDA los ACORAZADOS norteamericanos de la Clase #IOWA? (1/2) youtu.be/uHVgtcaTCEQ a través de @YouTube 🇺🇸⚓️ #Acorazado #iowaclass #Battleship #WW2 #WWii #Coreawar #Vietnamwar #DesertStorm #gus #guns #Tormentadeldesierto #Irak #Iraq @USNavy #honor

Interesting pics of 🇺🇸BB-61 USS IOWA P1 20mm mounts on T2 in front of still-open bridge. Norfolk Navy July 1943 P2 Blowing out soot of aft smoke stack on her shakedown cruise. May 1943 #BB61 #USSIowa #Iowa #IowaClass

ARMAMENT (BB-61 in 1945) - [9] 3x3 406mm/50 Mk 7 Guns (3-Gun Turrets)* - [20] 10x2 127mm/38 Mk 12 DP Guns in Mk 28 Mod 2 Turrets - [92] 19x4 || 8x2 40mm/56 Bofors Mk 1/2 AA Guns - [52] 52x1 20mm/70 Oerlikon Mk 4 AA Guns *406mm = 16 inches #BB64 shell in flight #IowaClass

@Dave_in_718 @Chisportsnut @pal55arc @bestwas33 @bostonwriter Cool picture of heavy lift crane Samson removing passenger ship gangway at Norfolk’s cruise terminal so a new one can be installed. Battleship Wisconsin is a great tour…#IowaClass

By acknowledging strengths and faults, you gain a better understanding of the warship. You see why designers did what they did. Just a little food for thought. #History #USNavy #Iowaclass #WW2 #thursdayvibes #thursdaymorning

The Iowa class battleship was built to fulfill a different role compared to previous battleships. Find out more by clicking the link! #SaturdayMorning #History #SaturdayVibes #WW2 #Iowaclass navygeneralboard.com/iowa-cl…

Surplus 16-inch rifle barrels were secretly stored for decades by a forward-thinking @NSWCDD worker on dead end railroad tracks. #initiative #motivated #IowaClass #Battleship #HideInSight #WeaponsTechnician #MartyWaltemyer battleshipnewjersey.org/the-… #NavalHistory

BB-62, an #IowaClass battleship. Commissioned in 1943.

CONTINUED… “the twenty-second of October Nineteen hundred and eighty-eight at eleven o'clock. R.S.V.P. Prior to 16 September 1988. Participants: Full Dress Blue, Military: Service Blue, Civilian: Informal.” #USNavy #Navy #USSWisconsin #BB64 #IowaClass #Battleship

🇺🇸Happy 243rd birthday America. Here's the USS Iowa firing a full broadside to kick off your Independence Day. It fired 2000lb, 16 inch shells 23.4 miles. 🦅 #IowaClass #USA #16inchGun #protouringtexas #letfreedomring instagram.com/p/BzgfUEsAo2W/…

USS New Jersey (BB-62) SLQ-32(V3) EW system console. #usn #uss #iowaclass #battleship #ew #newjersey

USS New Jersey (BB-62) BGM-109 Tomahawk launchers and control unit. it was great to meet and talk with the veteran crew members. #bbnewjersey #iowaclass #battleship #tomahawk #NewJersey #vacation #holiday

Battleship IOWA, you don’t look a day over 5! ⭐️🎂🎈🎉 #birthdaygirl #76th #birthday #celebrate #history #usmilitaryhistory #commissioning #wwii #koreanwar #coldwar #navy #usnavy #party #fbf #flashbackfriday #ussiowa #battleshipiowa #bb61 #iowaclass #iowaclassbattleship

Still looking good! #Battleships #Iowaclass #NewJersey