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BB-61 IOWA-class
Battleships were tasked to conduct prompt and sustained combat operations at sea, worldwide, in support of national interests. They operated as an element of a carrier battle group or amphibious group. In areas of reduced anti-air warfare threat, they were capable of surface action group and battle group operations, centered on the battleships, with appropriate anti-submarine and anti-air warfare escort ships. All four Iowa-class battleships authorized for reactivation during the early 1980s have been de-commissioned. They were activated briefly to help the Navy correct a shortage in major fleet deployment elements that developed during the 1970s and 1980s. These powerful, flexible capital ships increased the Navy's ability to provide an important new capability in maritime power, plus much-needed flexibility in carrier deployment schedules. No smaller ship can sustain a comparable level of offensive efforts in terms of volume, weight and duration of firepower and in terms of both guns and cruise missiles, and survivability. Additionally, the cost to reactivate and modernize a battleship is about that of a modern guided missile frigate. Congress directed the reactivation and modernization of the first Iowa-class battleship in the summer of 1981. This ship, USS New Jersey (BB 62), was commissioned for the third time on December 28, 1982. USS Iowa (BB 61) was recommissioned April 8, 1984. USS Missouri (BB 63) was recommissioned May 10, 1986 and USS Wisconsin (BB 64) was recommissioned October 22, 1988. The Navy spent about $1.7 billion to modernize and reactivate the four Iowa class battleships. After two and a half decades in "mothballs", Iowa was modernized under the 1980s defense buildup and recommissioned 28 April 1984. Iowa was in inactive service twice as long as it was in active service (36 years, 9 months, compared to 18 years, 11 months). USS Iowa participated in operations in the Caribbean and the North Atlantic. She went to European waters in 1985, 1986 and 1987 through 1988, with the latter cruise continuing into the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. On 19 April 1989, an explosion of undetermined cause ripped through her Number Two sixteen-inch gun turret killing 47 crewmen. Turret Two remained unrepaired when she decommissioned in Norfolk, Va., for the last time 26 October 1990. BB-61 IOWA-class Photos 
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