Displacement:

58,00 tons

Length:

887 feet

Beam:

108 feet

Speed:

35 knots

Power:

Eight boilers, four turbines, four shafts, 212,00 shaft horsepower.

Aircraft:

• Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) used for spotting

Armament:

• Nine, 16-inch guns
• Twelve 5-inch guns
• Several .38-caliber guns
• Four Phalanx anti-missile guns
• Tomahawk Cruise missiles
• Harpoon Anti-Ship missiles.

*These battleships were built and saw action during World War II. They later served in the Korean crisis and the U.S.S. New Jersey fought in Vietnam. The ships have been mothballed several times and then recommissioned when they are needed. On April 19, 1989, an explosion in the turret of the U.S.S. Iowa killed 47 members of the crew.

Iraqi Counterpart: No comparable vessel

Actions in the Gulf--

Iowa Class battleships used their 16-inch/50 caliber guns to provide naval gunfire support to troops ashore. Each gun (there are nine) can fire one, 2,700lbs armor-piercing shell more than 20 miles every 30 seconds. During Desert Storm, 1,102 16-inch rounds in 83 different missions were fired.

Fire missions could be called in from ground observers or through the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). In one highly publicized incident, a UAV on a spotting mission "took prisoners," with Iraqi troops attempting to surrender to the pilotless craft.

In addition to the 16-inch guns, the Iowa class ships were used as launching platforms for Tomahawk cruise missiles. Overall, 282 Tomahawks were launched from 16 surface ships and two submarines. 64% of these strikes were in the first 48 hours of the war.

Upon return to the United States, both battleships were returned to mothballs for cost-savings.

Shop for other Gulf War Products

Other Gulf War Books and Videos

Aircraft Pins and Flight Jackets and other military supplies.

Search for Other Gulf War Items