In the early 1940s, the U.S. Navy planned for the Montana-class battleships, departing from earlier compromises seen in the North Carolina, South Dakota, and Iowa classes. Designed without the constraints of naval treaties, the Montanas were to be the ultimate battleships, prioritizing firepower and armor over speed and being unable to pass through the Panama Canal,
USSÂ Missouri, the third laid down but last completed of the Iowa class, carried a slightly heavier main armament than the South Dakotas and could make five extra knots. The Iowas were the first U.S. Navy battleships to make speed a primary value, and achieved the speed through a longer hull and more powerful machinery. Indeed, the Iowas are the fastest battleships ever built,
While these battleships never saw the sea, their designs reflect the immense investments and ambitions of their respective nations. Changes in technology, international agreements, and shifting strategic priorities ultimately determined their fate, with resources redirected to smaller ships, other military endeavors, or peaceful pursuits.