User blog comment:WolfgangBSC/The Random Chat Room/@comment-24787182-20150930145939/@comment-27797576-20150930152604

Well, proud, the main reason they are expensive to maintain is the lack of manufactors to make the old guns, weapons, etc. Otherwise, they aren't that expensive to maintain(compared to even the Zumwalt), and are cheaper than most of the other options. And outdated? They have been able to keep up with technology. I wouldn't doubt if they could be refitted with newer technology. The only things that are outdated by this point are the very old 16in guns and 5in guns, plus propulsion. Fix that, and they can be made fairly modern. However, maintainance knowledge is almost gone by this point with much of the ship, plus the ability to replace the armor plates on the Iowa is nill. Overall, to reactivate the Iowa's would be a temporary measure until a replacement vessel could be made. Though, knowing the government, they are probably going to make those vessels unarmored just like every other vessel in the US.