The Iowa-Class Battlecarrier: A Design that Never "Took Off"

[Talyn]

Following Desert Storm, the Navy recapitalized its assets and decommissioned the Iowas, though Charles Myers continued to push for the conversions as late as 1995.

Such was the Iowa-class interdiction/assault ship, a late-1970s proposal that would have transformed the four battleships into "battlecarriers"—one-ship power-projection force with a landing deck for short take-off vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft operations.

The Iowa-Class Battlecarrier: A Design that Never "Took Off"

Following Desert Storm, the Navy recapitalized its assets and decommissioned the Iowas, though Charles Myers continued to push for the conversions as late as 1995.

www.usni.org

Harold Pulver's design for the interdiction/assault ship. (U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)

Not So Fast

The Navy should reverse the decision to strike the Iowa-class battleships.

www.usni.org

A Sea-Based Interdiction System for Power Projection

Since 1941, more than 85% o

www.usni.org

 

[trader]

I think it had merit, esp as a response to the then Kirov class soviet BC of the time

 

[Shibadog]

Instead we pumped hundreds of millions into “littoral combat ships”, at least one class of which was scrapped in short order because of structural defects. Your tax $$ at work

 

[3L120]

Instead we pumped hundreds of millions into “littoral combat ships”, at least one class of which was scrapped in short order because of structural defects. Your tax $$ at work

Someone’s bright idea. But, but, but…it is new and innovative, it must be built, I tell you!