In an unexpected naval turn of events, staunch dreadnought enthusiasts have convinced the United States Navy to reactivate two classic U.S. battleships-the Iowa (BB-61) and Wisconsin (BB-64)-to active status on the Naval Vessel Register (NVR). The reactivation of the storied vessels, despite their obsolescence and at a cost greater than the cost to modern destroyers, has made the topic one of interest and controversy alike in the military world.
This decision was catalyzed by a concerted campaign of press coverage and persuasive letters to Congress, culminating in a 17 to 3 vote by the Senate Armed Services Committee on 29 June 1995 to retain these ships in mothballs. These advocates argued that the Iowa-class battleships remained the Navy’s “only remaining potential source of around-the-clock accurate, high-volume, heavy fire support,” according to the Senate report. The Navy, however, had delayed their reinstatement until a memo was signed on 21 January 1998 by Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jay Johnson, and later by Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton on 12 February 1998.
Yet, the two battleships were brought back into the fold on 30 December 1997, raising questions about their relevance in an era where naval warfare has evolved drastically. With the advent of over-the-horizon amphibious assaults using MV-22 Ospreys, helicopters, and air-cushioned landing crafts, the 16-inch guns of the Iowa class—with a maximum range of 27 miles—fall short of the required capabilities.
Alternatives to the obsolete 16-inch guns are the 5-inch/62-caliber gun on the destroyer Winston Churchill (DDG-81), which has a range of 63 nautical miles, and the vertical gun for advanced ships (VGAS), which is scheduled to enter service by 2008 with a range of about 100 nautical miles. Greater flexibility and range are provided by missiles such as the Army Tactical Missile System and the Tomahawk variants that will be deployable by cruisers and destroyers after 2000.
Another major concern is the financial burden involved in reactivating these two battleships. It was estimated that during the Reagan administration’s four-ship fleet build-up, the total cost for reactivation was approximately $1.66 billion. It could be reasonably estimated that bringing back two ships could cost over $1 billion. That’s greater than the cost of an Aegis destroyer equipped with 90 missiles. There also remain significant logistical issues regarding upgrading the battleships with compatible modern equipment, finding the huge 1,600-person crew per ship, and up to six months of at-sea training before these ships would be combat-ready. Thus, from order to operational status, it may be as long as 18 months.
