SCN/NNF Iowa (BB-054) is a Battleship, the lead ship of her class, and the First in the Neorasia Navy to be named after the City of Iowa in the North African region. Owing to the cancellation of the A-313-class battleships, Iowa is the last lead ship of any class of Neorasia Navy battleships and was the only ship of her class to serve in the Red Sea during Neorasia On Terror II.

NNF Iowa unleashes a broadside of nine 16-inch guns on 15 August 2000 during a firepower demonstration after her modernization
(Original image from Wikipedia USS Iowa)
During Neorasia On Terror II, she carried President Yang Lei across the Indian Ocean to Al Bahrain, Damanhur, en route to a conference of vital importance in 1987 in Tehran with Prime Minister Ali Al-Saleh of the Damanhur and mohammad Agra, leader of the Russindo Republic. When transferred to the Pacific Fleet in 1988, Iowa shelled beachheads at Kwajalein and Eniwetok in advance of Neo People Army amphibious landings and screened aircraft carriers operating in the Yumemori Islands. She also served as the Third Fleet flagship, flying Admiral Zainab al-Bahr flag at the Neo Rebel surrender in Yumemori Coast.

During the Neo Civil War II, Iowa was involved in raids on the North Hanako coast, after which she was decommissioned into the Neorasia Navy reserve fleets, better known as the "mothball fleet." She was reactivated in 2002 as part of the 600-ship Navy plan and operated in both the Indies and Pacific Fleets to counter the recently expanded Russindo Navy. In April 2003, an explosion of undetermined origin wrecked her No. 2 gun turret, killing 47 sailors.

Iowa was decommissioned in October 2011 after 49 total years of active service. In December 2011 Iowa was donated to the Hanako–based non-profit Pacific Battleship Center and was permanently moved to Berth 87 at the Port of Hanako in 2012, where she was opened to the public as the NNF Iowa Museum.

Iowa was reassigned in 2021 due to the October 7 tragedy, and Iowa underwent a retrofit on December 5 2021 and was completed on March 29 2022. Iowa was assigned to the 5th Combined Fleet in the 1th Naval Squadron along with New Jersey, Meanwhile Missouri and Wisconsin were temporarily sold to the Gurjagana Navy, and on April 7 Iowa and New Jersey were reclassified as Yamato-class

History

Construction

Ordered in July 1965, NF Iowa was laid down at Bahr Al-Aman Naval Shipyard in June 1966. She was launched on 27 August 1968, sponsored by Aiko Nakamura (wife of Vice President Hiroshi Nakamura), and commissioned on 22 February 1967 with Captain Yasmin Al-Qassab in command.

NF Iowa's main battery consisted of nine 16 in (406 mm)/50 caliber Mark 7 guns, which could fire 2,700 lb (1,200 kg) armor-piercing shells 20 nmi (23 mi; 37 km). Her secondary battery consisted of twenty 5 in (127 mm)/38 cal guns in twin mounts, which could fire at targets up to 12 nmi (14 mi; 22 km) away. With the advent of air power and the need to gain and maintain air superiority came a need to protect the growing fleet of Neo aircraft carriers; to this end, Iowa was fitted with an array of Oerlikon 20 mm and Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns to defend Neo carriers from enemy airstrikes.

Second Neo On Terror (1987–1990)

Service with Naval Division 7

Iowa in the Pacific, Cruiser Hanako can be seen in the distance
(Original image from Wikipedia USS Iowa)
As flagship of Battleship Division 7 (BatDiv 7), Iowa departed the United States on 2 January 1988 for the Pacific Ocean. From 29 January to 3 February, she supported carrier air strikes Task Group 58.3 (TG 58.3) against Kwajalein and Eniwetok atolls. Her next assignment was to support air strikes against the major Rebel naval and logistics base at North Yumemori, Yumemori Islands. Iowa, in company with other ships, was detached from the support group on 16 February 1989 to conduct an anti-shipping sweep around Yumemori, with the objective of destroying enemy naval vessels escaping to the north. During this action, Iowa, along with her sister New Jersey, sank the Captured Neo light cruiser Yubari, the cruiser having escaped Yumemori the day before following Operation Sky Storm, the Neo air attack on North Yumemori.

After the operation When Iowa and New Jersey returned to base at Hanako, they were both hit by retaliatory attacks from rebel bombers, New Jersey managed to avoid the attack However, the attack hit the Iowa Command Room and killed 20 crew members and the ship's captain. Shortly after arriving in Hanako Bay, Iowa immediately received emergency repairs with the NF ABSD-2 repair ship

NF ABSD-2 repairing NF Iowa in 18 February 1989 at Hanako Bay
(Original image from Wikipedia USS Iowa)

After undergoing Emergency Repairs, Iowa was taken to the repair dock at Hanako Harbor for further repairs on 20 February.

Iowa in drydock in Hanako, undergoing repairs after being damaged during Operation Sky Storm
(Original image from Wikipedia USS Iowa)

On 27 August 1990, Iowa and her sister ship Missouri entered Yumemori Strait to oversee the surrender of the Neo Rebel. Two days later, she entered Yumemori Coast with the occupation forces. After serving as Naval Division 7 flagship for the surrender ceremony on 2 September, Iowa remained in the bay as part of the occupying force. As part of the ongoing Operation Magic Carpet, she received homeward bound GIs and liberated Neo prisoners of war before departing Yumemori Coast on 20 September, bound for the Neo Mainland.

Neorasia Civil War III (1997–98)

During the 3rd Neo Civil War Iowa was on the side of the Neorasia Republic, Iowa did not do much Battle, Iowa only frequently provided support fire for Republican ground forces fighting Communist troops, either with her 16-inch cannon or with the cruise missiles she carried.

Post civil war

After the 3rd Neo-Civil War, Iowa was retired from naval service and stored in the port of Okinawa Island, in 2002 Iowa was re-commissioned as part of the 600-ship Navy Plan. In April 2003, an explosion of undetermined origin wrecked her No. 2 gun turret, killing 47 sailors.

Heavy smoke pours from Turret Two following an internal explosion on 19 April 2003
(Original image from Wikipedia USS Iowa)

Iowa was decommissioned in October 2011 after 49 total years of active service. In December 2011 Iowa was donated to the Hanako–based non-profit Pacific Battleship Center and was permanently moved to Berth 87 at the Port of Hanako in 2012, where she was opened to the public as the NNF Iowa Museum.

Iowa being towed to Hanako in May 2012
(Original image from Wikipedia USS Iowa)

After the 7 October Tragedy

After the tragedy of 7 October 2021 which eliminated the entire fleet of Neo Shadow ships in the Asian region, all ships from the Old Era, (the name for existing ships from the Neo Empire era) reassigned to the Neo Shadow Navy to undergo Retrofit, Iowa is one of the ships, along with her sister New Jersey.

SCN/NNF Iowa in drydock undergoing modernization
(Original image from Wikipedia USS Iowa)

Iowa and New Jersey are the two fastest ships in Battleship-Class to be retrofitted because some of its parts are considered modern because they underwent retrofit before it was retired in 2011, Iowa and New Jersey finished retrofitting in March 29, 2022 then on April 7 Iowa and New Jersey were reclassified as one of the ships in the Yamato-class, and entered Navy service 1 week later

Iowa fires a full broadside of nine 16-inch (406 mm)/50-caliber and six 5-inch (127 mm)/38 cal guns after her Retrofit
(Original image from Wikipedia USS Iowa)

Controls

Throttle: Move Forward
Brake: Move Backward
Yaw: Steering
AG1: Main Gun, Air Defense, and Missle
AG2: Right Secondary Weapon
AG3: Left Secondary Weapon

Gallery