[Pontiac]

Nothing much short of a direct hit with a nuclear weapon can do much damage to one of them

One Mark 48 torpedo would break her spine and send her to the bottom'

The torpedo explodes under the ship creating a void which causes the ship to break in two of its own weight.

[tomzz]

Like I noted, in the case of an Iowa class ship, you have nine hundred feet of space for whatever countermeasures you'd need to stop missiles or torpedos. Aside from that, certain jobs need doing and the only things which plausibly could do them are carriers or battleships. The battleship presents the lesser operational risk.

My own preference would be to keep two of the things, nuclear power, maximal defensive weaponry, phalanx guns, THEL, and whatever it would take to defeat torpedos including the shkval, keep the two 16" forward mounts, and replace the rear 16" turret with Gerald Bull's 40" super gun. Other weaponry would include missiles including tomahawks and anti-ship missils.

My guess would be that many of the crew of the things during WW-II were manning 5" and smaller guns. You just wouldn't need as many people today. the phalanx and THEL systems would be automated.

[COEXERJ145]

It's estimated it would take anywhere from 3 to 9 ADCAP's to sink an Iowa class BB. About an equal number to take out a CVN.

[InABunkerUnderSF]

In September 1942 the USS North Carolina was hit by a Japanese 24 inch Long Lance Torpedo. The 950 pound TNT warhead hit the thinnest part of the ships armor and did considerable damage.

It didn't break her spine.

Improvements where made to the Iowa class ships.

The 650 pound (comp. B?) warhead of a Mark 48 torpedo could break the spine of an Iowa class BB if it detonated immediately below the keel but I don't think "would is the right term.

[PzLdr]

Not unless it was nuclear it wouldn't The British X craft put something like 2,000 pound of high explosive under the TRIPITZ in a fairly shallow Fjord. Damaged her. But it didn't break her back. And it didn't sink her.

[R. Scott]

Not a valid comparison.