I will take exception with those who call battleships OUTDATED. The US Navy had FOUR as late as 1991... USS Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

Those who call the battleships SLOW are completely wrong... the Iowa class was FASTER than any current major surface ship in the US Navy other than the aircraft-carriers !!

With their over 12 inches of Armor at the waterline, they would have almost shrugged off a strike by an Exocet missile.... so the claim of obsolete or unsafe goes out the window again.

Recommissioned in the early 80's after upgrades demanded by President Reagan, those ships sailed forth with Tomahawk (32) and Harpoon (16) missiles to complement their 16 inch gun batteries.

The REASON they were decommissioned was COST... they used expensive to operate oil-boilers, and required a large crew. The Clinton Administration struck them from the lists.

There were ACTUALLY plans in 1990 to replace the boilers with MUCH more efficient and cost effective gas-turbine engines... install a hangar for two SH-60B Seahaws (or future UAVs)... AND to replace the aft-most gun-turret with an additional 61 missiles in a VLS (Vertical Launch System).

Obsolete MY @SS !!

THAT would be a NICE ship to park off an uncooperative countries coast... like that nest of PIRATES in Somalia

EDIT: The last action seen by USN battleships was the Operation Desert Storm... Missouri and Wisconsin fired 200+ 16 inch rounds and 100+ Tomahawk missiles.

Missouri ALSO defeated the two Silkworm Anti-ship missiles fired at her.