Hey Navy: Why Not Bring Back & Re-Introduce Upgraded, High-Tech Massive Battleships?

by Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

(Washington DC) Could the idea of a giant warship that is heavily armed, say 21st-century battleships, make a comeback?

Think of the Zumwalt but much bigger and more heavily armed. Is that possible?

Battleships: Coming Soon, But Bigger and Better

The concept of very large, heavily armed battleships may be making a comeback, a question that introduces relevant maritime warfare advantages and also raises some interesting questions.

Certainly, no one disputes the exceptional contributions made in history by major WWII, Korea, and Vietnam-era platforms such as Iowa-class Battleships and Alaska-class Battlecruisers, yet such large ships with unguided weapons might not only be less useful in a more dispersed, longer-range operational sphere, but they are also substantial targets for long-range precision-guided enemy weapons to attack.

Nonetheless, as far back as D-Day bombardments, the Korean War, or the Japanese WWII surrender on board the USS Missouri, battleships have carved a distinguished and lasting resting place in the hearts and minds of all Navy supporters for generations. Such a sentiment and time-honored reverence

for maritime combat service is likely to endure into perpetuity to be sure, as few are likely to forget or ignore the US Navy’s WWII sacrifices and victories.

Alongside this important dynamic, there are tactical and strategic reasons why a return of large, heavily armed, and heavily armored battleships might make sense to return to the Navy’s maritime warfare fleet. In a simple sense, there will likely still be a need for heavily armored, high-volume land bombardment attacks moving into the future, should the Navy need to launch an amphibious attack or soften and destroy an adversaries’ land weapons, such as an anti-ship missile, to operate more safely closer to shore.