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In the late 1880s, the US Navy commenced building its first steel battleships, USS Texas and USS Maine. These were soon followed by seven classes of pre-dreadnoughts (Indiana to Connecticut). Beginning with the South Carolina-class which entered service in 1910, the US Navy embraced the "all-big-gun" dreadnought concept which would govern battleship design moving forward. Refining these designs, the US Navy developed the Standard-type battleship which embraced five classes (Nevada to Colorado) that possessed similar performance characteristics. With the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty in 1922, battleship construction halted for over a decade.
Developing new designs in the 1930s, the US Navy focused on building classes of "fast battleships" (North Carolina to Iowa) that would be capable of operating with the fleet's new aircraft carriers. Though the centerpiece of the fleet for decades, battleships were quickly eclipsed by the aircraft carrier during World War II and became supporting units. Though of secondary importance, battleships remained in the inventory for another fifty years with the last leaving commission in the 1990s. During their active service, American battleships took part in the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Gulf War.
USS Texas (1892) & USS Maine (ACR-1)
USS Texas (1892), prior to 1898. Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Command - USS Texas (1892)
- USS Maine (ACR-1)
Commissioned: 1895
Main Armament: 2 x 12" guns (Texas), 4 x 10" guns (Maine)
Indiana-class (BB-1 to BB-3)
USS Indiana (BB-1). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Indiana (BB-1)
- USS
- USS Oregon (BB-3)
Commissioned: 1895-1896
Main Armament: 4 x 13" guns
Iowa-class (BB-4)
USS Iowa (BB-4). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Iowa (BB-4)
Commissioned: 1897
Main Armament: 4 x 12" guns
Kearsarge-class (BB-5 to BB-6)
USS Kearsarge (BB-5). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Kearsarge (BB-5)
- USS
Commissioned: 1900
Main Armament: 4 x 13" guns
Illinois-class (BB-7 to BB-9)
USS Illinois (BB-7). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS
- USS
- USS
Commissioned: 1901
Main Armament: 4 x 13" guns
Maine-class (BB-10 to BB-12)
USS Maine (BB-10). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Maine (BB-10)
- USS Missouri (BB-11)
- USS Ohio (BB-12)
Commissioned: 1902-1904
Main Armament: 4 x 12" guns
Virginia-class (BB-13 to BB-17)
USS Virginia (BB-13). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Virginia (BB-13)
- USS Nebraska (BB-14)
- USS Georgia (BB-15)
- USS
- USS
Commissioned: 1906-1907
Main Armament: 4 x 12" guns
Connecticut-class (BB-18 to BB-22, BB-25)
USS Connecticut (BB-18). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Connecticut (BB-18)
- USS
- USS
- USS Kansas (BB-21)
- USS Minnesota (BB-22)
- USS New Hampshire (BB-25)
Commissioned: 1906-1908
Main Armament: 4 x 12" guns
Mississippi-class (BB-23 to BB-24)
USS Mississippi (BB-23). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Mississippi (BB-23)
- USS Idaho (BB-24)
Commissioned: 1908
Main Armament: 4 x 12" guns
South Carolina-class (BB-26 to BB-27)
USS South Carolina (BB-26). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS
- USS
Commissioned: 1910
Main Armament: 8 x 12" guns
Delaware-class (BB-28 to BB-29)
USS Delaware (BB-28). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS
- USS
Commissioned: 1910
Main Armament: 10 x 12" guns
Florida-class (BB-30 to BB-31)
USS Florida (BB-30). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS
- USS Utah (BB-31)
Commissioned: 1911
Main Armament: 10 x 12" guns
Wyoming-class (BB-32 to BB-33)
USS Wyoming (BB-32). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Wyoming (BB-32)
- USS Arkansas (BB-33)
Commissioned: 1912
Main Armament: 12 x 12" guns
New York-class (BB-34 to BB-35)
USS New York (BB-34). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS New York (BB-34)
- USS Texas (BB-35)
Commissioned: 1913
Main Armament: 10 x 14" guns
Nevada-class (BB-36 to BB-37)
USS Nevada (BB-36). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Nevada (BB-36)
- USS Oklahoma (BB-37)
Commissioned: 1916
Main Armament: 10 x 14" guns
Pennsylvania-class (BB-38 to BB-39)
USS Pennsylvania (BB-38). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Pennsylvania (BB-38)
- USS Arizona (BB-39)
Commissioned: 1916
Main Armament: 12 x 14" guns
New Mexico-class (BB-40 to BB-42)
USS New Mexico (BB-40). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS New Mexico (BB-40)
- USS Mississippi (BB-41)
- USS Idaho (BB-42)
Commissioned: 1917-1919
Main Armament: 12 x 14" guns
Tennessee-class (BB-43 to BB-44)
USS Tennessee (BB-43). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Tennessee (BB-43)
- USS California (BB-44)
Commissioned: 1920-1921
Main Armament: 12 x 14" guns
Colorado-class (BB-45 to BB-48)
USS Colorado (BB-45). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Colorado (BB-45)
- USS Maryland (BB-46)
- USS Washington (BB-47)
- USS West Virginia (BB-48)
Commissioned: 1921-1923
Main Armament: 8 x 16" guns
South Dakota-class (BB-49 to BB-54)
South Dakota-class (1920). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS South Dakota (BB-49)
- USS Indiana (BB-50)
- USS Montana (BB-51)
- USS North Carolina (BB-52)
- USS Iowa (BB-53)
- USS Massachusetts (BB-54)
Commissioned: Entire class cancelled due to Washington Naval Treaty
Main Armament: 12 x 16" guns
North Carolina-class (BB-55 to BB-56)
USS North Carolina (BB-55). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS North Carolina (BB-55)
- USS Washington (BB-56)
Commissioned: 1941
Main Armament: 9 x 16" guns
South Dakota-class (BB-57 to BB-60)
USS North Carolina (BB-55). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS South Dakota (BB-57)
- USS Indiana (BB-58)
- USS Massachusetts (BB-59)
- USS Alabama (BB-60)
Commissioned: 1942
Main Armament: 9 x 16" guns
Iowa-class (BB-61 to BB-64)
USS Iowa (BB-61). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Iowa (BB-61)
- USS New Jersey (BB-62)
- USS Missouri (BB-63)
- USS Wisconsin (BB-64)
Commissioned: 1943-1944
Main Armament: 9 x 16" guns
Montana-class (BB-67 to BB-71)
Montana-class (BB-67 to BB-71). Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Center - USS Montana (BB-67)
- USS Ohio (BB-68)
- USS Maine (BB-69)
- USS New Hampshire (BB-70)
- USS Louisiana (BB-71)
Commissioned: Cancelled, 1942
Main Armament: 12 x 16" guns
