Background
Kentucky was one of the "fast battleship" designs planned in 1938 by the Preliminary Design Branch at the Bureau of Construction and Repair. She was to be the sixth and final ship of the Iowa class of battleships. Like her Iowa-class sisters, Kentucky's construction began in response to the need for fast escorts for the Essex-class aircraft carriers. She was conceived in 1935, when the United States Navy initiated design studies for the creation of an extended South Dakota class that was not restricted by the Second London Naval Treaty. The latter four Iowa class battleships (Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois and Kentucky) were not cleared for construction until 12 July 1940, and at the time Illinois and Kentucky were to be larger, slower battleships mounting twelve 16 in (410 mm) Mark 7 guns.
Read more about this topic: USS Kentucky (BB-66)
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