>>> the last time a BB fired for real, it was the NJ off the Lebanese coast, after the Marines were killed by a suicide bomber.
No the last time a BB fired for real, something like 40 US sailors were smashed into jello. The same ship, USS Iowa. The turret was never repaired.
Even without their untrustworthy big guns I always thought the fast battleships would have made a good cruise missile barrier for the carriers. Positioned between the carrier and the threat to soak up the incoming missiles the defense failed to shoot down, their thick armor could shrug off any non-nuclear hits. The ships needed too many sailors to operate though.
The best of the BBs were 30-35 knot max max ships. Our nuclear carriers can haul at 50+knots. (Oops now that I told you, I'll have to kill you.)
Besides, the main function of escort vessels is radar and AA and today's cruise missiles can definitely pick out a carrier in a crowd.
What the New Jersey and the Iowa could have done is subdue Libya at much less cost than the cruise missiles, smart bombs, and dumb bombs our NATO allies are now running out of. Hell, with modern fire control a couple of 8-inch cruisers could save Misrata by accurate counter-battery fire.
Last round was fired 6 months later.
http://www.angelfire.com/ia/totalwar/usnIowa.html
The turret was never repaired.
According to USS Iowa veteran's groups, what is left to complete the repairs is the installation of some equipment that has already been sourced and is stored on the Iowa.
I consider myself lucky to have witnessed the USS New Jersey firing their 16 inch guns over my head to a shore target just a short distance away. It was... remarkable.
I don’t think it’s fair, BTW, to call all the 16 inch guns on all the BB’s “untrustworty” based on one intentionally created “accident”.