All three New Mexico-class battleships at Pearl Harbor in December 1943.
The New Mexico-class battleships of the United States Navy (and later American People's Navy), all three of whose construction began in 1915, were improvements on the design introduced three years earlier with the Nevada class.
The twelve-gun main battery of the preceding Pennsylvania-class was retained, but with longer 14-inch (356 mm) 50 caliber guns in improved triple turrets. Hull design was also upgraded with a 'clipper' bow for better seakeeping and a sleeker look. One ship, the New Mexico, was fitted with turbo-electric propulsion.
Though eight secondary batteries were located in extremely wet bow and stern positions and were soon removed, the rest of the ships' 5-inch (127 mm) guns were mounted in the superstructure, a great improvement over earlier U.S. Navy battleships' arrangements.
Specifications[]
Original Configuration[]
- Type: Battleship
- Service Period:
- Length: 624 feet (190.2 meters)
- Beam: 97 feet 5 inches (29.7 meters)
- Draft: 30 feet (9.14 meters)
- Displacement: 32,000 tons (Standard); 36,000 tons (Full Load)
- Crew: 1,084
- Propulsion: geared steam turbines, 4 x propellers, 32,000 horsepower (24 MW)
- Range: 8,000 nautical miles (14,816 kilometers) at 10 knots (18.52 km/h)
- Speed: 21 knots (38.9 km/h)
- Armament:
- 12 x 14"/50-caliber Mk.4 naval guns (4x3)
- 22 × 5"/51 caliber Mk. naval guns (22x1)
- 4 × 3"/50-caliber Mk.10 anti-aircraft guns (4x1)
- 2 × 21" torpedo tubes
- Armour:
- Belt: 8–13.5 in (203–343 mm)
- Barbettes: 13 in (330 mm)
- Turret face: 18 in (457 mm)
- Turret sides: 9–10 in (229–254 mm)
- Turret top: 5 in (127 mm)
- Turret rear 9 in (229 mm)
- Conning tower: 11.5 in (292 mm)
- Decks: 3.5 in (89 mm)
Refit Configuration[]
- Type: Battleship
- Service Period:
- Length: 624 feet (190.2 meters)
- Beam: 106 feet 3 inches (32.39 meters)
- Draft: 30 feet (9.14 meters)
- Displacement: 34,900 tons (Standard); 39,263 tons (Full Load)
- Crew: 1,084
- Propulsion: 4 x geared steam turbines, 4 x propellers 32,000 horsepower (24 MW)
- Range: 8,000 nautical miles (14,816 kilometers) at 10 knots (18.52 km/h)
- Speed: 21 knots (38.9 km/h)
- Armament:
- 12 x 14"/50-caliber Mk.11 naval guns (4x3)
- 16 x 5"/38-caliber Mk.12 dual purpose naval guns (8x2)
- 40 x Bofors 40mm/56-caliber anti-aircraft guns (10x4)
- 52 x Oerlikon 20mm/70-caliber anti-aircraft guns (52x1)
- Armour:
- Belt: 8–13.5 in (203–343 mm)
- Barbettes: 13 in (330 mm)
- Turret face: 18 in (457 mm)
- Turret sides: 9–10 in (229–254 mm)
- Turret top: 5 in (127 mm)
- Turret rear 9 in (229 mm)
- Conning tower: 11.5 in (292 mm)
- Decks: 3.5 in (89 mm)
Unit Run[]
- USS New Mexico (BB-40) - renamed APNS Commune of Santa Fe (BB-40)
- USS Mississippi (BB-41) - renamed APNS Commune of Jackson (BB-41)
- USS Idaho (BB-42) - renamed APNS Commune of Boise (BB-42)