[Iris7]

I believe the following is true.

A six inch (155 mm) gun for shore bombardment is too small. Projectile is too light, maybe 100 - 120 pounds. Need eight inch or larger, projectile 250 - 300 pounds. The sixteen inch 2,000 - 2,700 pound projectiles are much better. The landing force has all the 155 mm it needs as part of their own equipment.

The landing force needs a heavy hitter on one minute notice at all times day or night. Aviation is not suitable as a carrier cannot fly enough missions to keep loitering aircraft up over the target area 24 hours a day and at the same time put in 25 tons of ordinance in thirty seconds, repeat as desired.

155 mm can reach 100 miles only with RAP. Warhead is very small, and the projectile inaccurate without terminal guidance (expensive).

The marines are correct. Ideally something modern would be available instead of 1920's technology of course.

[Strategerist]

Aviation is not suitable as a carrier cannot fly enough missions to keep loitering aircraft up over the target area 24 hours a day and at the same time put in 25 tons of ordinance in thirty seconds, repeat as desired.

The world has changed with GPS bombs. I assure you in any sort of opposed amphibious landing there will be loitering aircraft at all times, and GPS bombs are more accurate than 16" shells.

And I've noticed that people somehow find this very hard to believe, but:

16" Bombardment Shell: 154 lbs. explosive

Standard 1,000 lb Bomb: 385 lbs. explosive

Standard 2,000 lb. Bomb: 945 lbs. explosive

[Junior]

The new weapons on the DDX will be ETC (electro-thermal-chemical) weapons. They'll have a much longer range than a standard 6" weapon, and with the improvements in explosives since the 1930s will have much improved damage delivery. Additionally, the rounds will be guided, meaning fewer will be required for any given fire mission.

With the advent of armed unmanned attack aircraft, the last rationale for using battleships is gone.

The only reason anyone wants the battleships reactivated is because of the romanticism associated with them. They are no longer practical weapons platforms.

[SampleMan]

How does the army get by without 16" guns?