The world’s largest battleships are essentially floating monuments; an ode to an era when naval dominance was defined by sheer size, firepower, and resilience. Built primarily in the late 19th and first half of the 20th centuries, these gigantic warships were designed specifically to project American power. Their purpose was to defend national interests and confront enemy fleets in battle. Such giants of the sea ranged from record-breaking Japanese and American ships to massive European vessels. They represented the height of naval engineering at the time, combining huge gun turrets, thick steel plating, and advanced propulsion systems.
Yet their legacy goes beyond their intimidating size. The largest battleships also represent rapidly evolving military technology, as aircraft carriers, submarines, and guided missiles eventually made them obsolete. Today, they remain important symbols of seafaring history, reminding us of the days when nations invested extraordinary resources into building these behemoths, which they saw as the ultimate of naval supremacy.
24/7 Tempo consulted sources including Navy General Board, Largest.org, Militaryfactory, PearlHarbor, and others to compile a list of floating fortresses: the largest battleships in naval history, using displacement tonnage as a measure.
Note that with three exceptions, the list is ordered not by individual ship but by battleship class, each including two or more ships with different names. The exceptions are the U.K.’s HMS Agincourt, HMS Hood, and HMS Vanguard. (Don’t miss the biggest naval battles of all time.)
28. Kirov Class
- Displacement tonnage: 25,000
- Nation: Russia
- Commissioned: 1980
27. Moltke Class
- Displacement tonnage: 25,400
- Nation: Germany
- Commissioned: 1911
26. Florida Class
- Displacement tonnage: 25,400
- Nation: United States
- Commissioned: 1911
25. New York Class
- Displacement tonnage: 27,435
- Nation: United States
- Commissioned: 1914
24. Wyoming Class
- Displacement tonnage: 27,680
- Nation: United States
- Commissioned: 1912
23. Nevada Class
- Displacement tonnage: 29,000
- Nation: United States
- Commissioned: 1916
22. Rivadavia Class
- Displacement tonnage: 30,600
- Nation: Argentina
- Commissioned: 1915
21. HMS Agincourt Dreadnought
- Displacement tonnage: 31,360
- Nation: United Kingdom
- Commissioned: 1914
20. Revenge Class
- Displacement tonnage: 31,630
- Nation: United Kingdom
- Commissioned: 1916
19. Ise Class
- Displacement tonnage: 31,760
- Nation: Japan
- Commissioned: 1917
18. Pennsylvania Class
- Displacement tonnage: 32,429
- Nation: United States
- Commissioned: 1916
17. Iron Duke Super Dreadnought Class
- Displacement tonnage: 32,635
- Nation: United Kingdom
- Commissioned: 1915
16. New Mexico Class
- Displacement tonnage: 33,350
- Nation: United States
- Commissioned: 1918
15. Queen Elizabeth Class Super Dreadnought
- Displacement tonnage: 33,790
- Nation: United Kingdom
- Commissioned: 1915
14. Bayern Class
- Displacement tonnage: 35,500
- Nation: Germany
- Commissioned: 1917
13. Kongō Class Battlecruiser
- Displacement tonnage: 36,500
- Nation: Japan
- Commissioned: 1913
12. Fusō Dreadnought Class
- Displacement tonnage: 37,187
- Nation: Japan
- Commissioned: 1915
11. King George V Class
- Displacement tonnage: 45,360
- Nation: United Kingdom
- Commissioned: 1942
10. Littorio Class
- Displacement tonnage: 45,485
- Nation: Italy
- Commissioned: 1942
9. Nagato Class
- Displacement tonnage: 45,950
- Nation: Japan
- Commissioned: 1920
8. South Dakota Class
- Displacement tonnage: 46,200
- Nation: United States
- Commissioned: 1942
7. HMS Hood
- Displacement tonnage: 46,680
- Nation: United Kingdom
- Commissioned: 1920
6. North Carolina Class
- Displacement tonnage: 46,700
- Nation: United States
- Commissioned: 1941
5. Richelieu Class
- Displacement tonnage: 48,100
- Nation: France
- Commissioned: 1940
4. HMS Vanguard
- Displacement tonnage: 51,420
- Nation: United Kingdom
- Commissioned: 1946
3. Bismarck Class
- Displacement tonnage: 51,800
- Nation: Germany
- Commissioned: 1941
2. Iowa Class
- Displacement tonnage: 57,540
- Nation: United States
- Commissioned: 1943
1. Yamato Class
- Displacement tonnage: 71,659
- Nation: Japan
- Commissioned: 1942
The image featured at the top of this post is ©national_museum_of_the_us_navy / Flickr/Public Domain.