A U.S. Navy Fantasy: Bring Back the Big Battleships to Fight China?

Can't see it happening. Not a Naval Expert. The only thing I can see NGF for anymore is support for Amphib assaults until Artillery is ashore or a cheaper way of smashing soft naval targets rather than wasting missles or air assets.

There is room for an upgraded version of the battleship, but the question is, "In trade for what and at what cost?" This thing would be as expensive as an air craft carrier if not more. I'd generally agree that the 1940 Iowa class ship is outdated and can't keep up with the damage the Destroyers can dish out, the battleship cannot be looked at as a lone vessel sailing the waters. It would be part of a strike group and it would compliment the other vessels. You also have to get rid of the 1940 mindset of the battleship. If we built one, it would have all the capability for dealing damage as the current Destroyers and still have deck guns that can actually support a beach head. The concept of the navy as simply a sea-domain asset is a weak argument, as the majority of the population of the world lives on the land...oh wait...no...they all live on the land, which means if we have to fight someone, it's going to be a multi-domain fight. While the current fleet of the United States is impressive, the missiles available in the Navy right now are point precision strike capabilities and are operational in concept. The Navy has lost tactical capability in support of the land fight with the exception of its bombers and fighters in the air-domain. IF the Marine Corps ever storms a beach again, it would be really nice to have ships that have more than a single 155mm cannon on board. Those missiles are nice for taking out other ships and knocking out command and control facilities, but they aren't all that useful in laying a barrage of suppressive fire on a defended position. Just saying that there is room in the arsenal for a gun ship again that can actually support land forces. I don't think it will happen though. The cost of that thing would be insane.

Doubt it will happen but battleships are intimidating to see.