Does the Past Have a Place in the Future? the Utility of Battleships in the Twenty-First Century : 9781249407331 : 17 Sep 2012 : This thesis examines the Iowa class battleships and whether they hold utility for the future. There is a myriad of writings concerning the history of the battleships and the arguments both for and against. The author uses this history to determine the key capabilities that a battleship provides and then identifies and reviews the arguments both for and against continued battleship service. This is then used to develop a comparison model that examines the battleship's possible strategic and tactical utility in future geopolitical climates. Keying in on the unique capabilities of the battleship, a comprehensive review is conducted to validate these capabilities against demonstrated wartime capabilities and the capabilities of current and proposed battleship replacements. Finally a cost effectiveness comparison is completed to determine: "Is there utility in bri