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The '''''Iowa''-class''' was the final series of six [[battleship]]s constructed for the [[United States Navy]], beginning with authorization in 1940, and ending with the commissioning of the fourth vessel, USS ''Wisconsin'' in 1944.  The final two vessels were cancelled and scrapped while in the yards before launching, due to the ending of [[World War II]], as well as the battleship's replacement as the apex warship by the [[aircraft carrier]].

The '''''Iowa''-class''' was the final series of six [[battleship]]s constructed for the [[United States Navy]], beginning with authorization in 1940, and ending with the commissioning of the fourth vessel, USS ''Wisconsin'' in 1944.  The final two vessels were cancelled and scrapped while in the yards before launching, due to the ending of [[World War II]], as well as the battleship's replacement as the apex warship by the [[aircraft carrier]].

At 45,000 tons standard displacement, the six ships of the ''Iowa'' class were the U.S. Navy's first new World War II era battleships whose design was not encumbered by treaty limits. They were a new type for the Navy, the "fast battleship", intended to protect aircraft carriers against the threat of similar [[Japan]]ese "big-gun" ships, as well as to form a "fast wing" for the traditional battle line. Though the even-larger ''[[Montana]]'' class were designed and ordered, four of the ''Iowas'' were the last battleships ever completed for U.S. Navy service. They were also arguably the Navy's most successful battleship design and certainly had the longest service lives.

At 45,000 tons standard displacement, the six ships of the ''Iowa'' class were the U.S. Navy's first new World War II era battleships whose design was not encumbered by treaty limits. They were a new type for the Navy, the "fast battleship", intended to protect aircraft carriers against the threat of similar [[Japan]]ese "big-gun" ships, as well as to form a "fast wing" for the traditional battle line. Though the even-larger [[Montana-class|''Montana'']] class were designed and ordered, four of the ''Iowas'' were the last battleships ever completed for U.S. Navy service. They were also arguably the Navy's most successful battleship design and certainly had the longest service lives.

Built under Fiscal Year 1940 (BB 61 & 62) and 1941 (BB 63-66) appropriations, the ''Iowa'' class were much longer, more powerfully engined and considerably faster than the preceding ''North Carolina'' and ''South Dakota'' classes. Their main battery, nine 16"/50 guns in triple turrets, was also somewhat more powerful than the 16"/45 armament of the two earlier types. The ''Iowas''' internal armor protection scheme was similar in arrangement to that of the ''South Dakota'' class, and was designed to keep out the armor-piercing shells originally intended for their guns, though not the heavier (2700 pound) shells ultimately used.

Built under Fiscal Year 1940 (BB 61 & 62) and 1941 (BB 63-66) appropriations, the ''Iowa'' class were much longer, more powerfully engined and considerably faster than the preceding ''North Carolina'' and ''South Dakota'' classes. Their main battery, nine 16"/50 guns in triple turrets, was also somewhat more powerful than the 16"/45 armament of the two earlier types. The ''Iowas''' internal armor protection scheme was similar in arrangement to that of the ''South Dakota'' class, and was designed to keep out the armor-piercing shells originally intended for their guns, though not the heavier (2700 pound) shells ultimately used.