I love the Battleship New Jersey and have followed the ship and its associated museum in Camden for many years. When I first toured BB-62 a few years ago, I took almost 800 photos on deck and inside. But just recently, I was able to go on a much more intimate tour.
Despite being decommissioned after Desert Storm, recent strategic challenges, particularly the rise of anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities by potential adversaries like China, have sparked debates on whether Iowa-class battleships should be revived for modern warfare.
Iowans are being invited to help restore Battleship USS IOWA, the first ship in the largest, fastest class of battleships ever produced by the United States.The
Only four Iowa-class battleships were ever completed despite plans for six. The USS Illinois (BB-65) and USS Kentucky (BB-66) were laid down but never finished, a decision influenced by shifting naval priorities during World War II.
Although long since retired, the Iowa-class USS New Jersey battleship is back in the news. The celebrated ship, which has served as a museum and a memorial since decommissioning in 1990, is set to undergo a $10 million overhaul.