In the early 1910s, the US Navy began experimenting with 16-inch (406 mm) guns as other navies began to move to 15 in (380 mm) weapons.
As development of the new guns progressed, the Navy evaluated a series of proposals for ships incorporating 16-inch guns.
The first was a ten-gun ship with five twin-gun turrets that also included improved armor compared to earlier battleships.
Additionally, the secondary battery was increased from the standard US armament of 5-inch (130 mm) guns to 6-inch (150 mm) weapons.
Another smaller version with eight 16-inch guns was also suggested, along with a design mounting the then-standard 14-inch (360 mm) gun.
As work on the new design progressed, the cost of the vessels increased significantly.
Compared to the cost of a 14-inch-gunned ship—$12 million—the eight gun ship was estimated to cost $16.5 million, while the price for the ten gun ship rose to $19 million.

Even before trials of the new guns had been completed, Rear Admiral Joseph Strauss, then the Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance (BuOrd), argued in 1913 that the 16-inch gun was not worth pursuing; he argued that at the expected battle ranges of the day, the 14-inch gun was capable of penetrating heavy armor plate just as effectively and that a ship carrying twelve of those guns had a much better chance of hitting than a ship with eight 16-inch guns.
The General Board concurred and instructed the designers to work on the 14-inch ship.
Existing turrets for those guns used a single recoil slide for all three guns, which caused concern that a single hit could jam it and thus disable all three guns.
Strauss accordingly suggested that the designers at the Bureau of Construction and Repair, under Chief Constructor Richard Watt, incorporate independent slides.

The design staff submitted two proposals on 21 November 1913: a 35,500-long-ton (36,100 t) version and a 33,200-long-ton (33,700 t) variant.
The first incorporated a secondary battery of twenty 6-inch guns, while the smaller one retained twenty-two of the standard 5-inch guns.
Weight savings were also achieved by reducing the thickness of the barbette and belt armor by an inch, and reducing fuel capacity.
The General Board preferred the larger of the two, citing the heavier armor as needed to defeat the latest 15-inch guns being adopted in foreign battleships and the stronger secondary battery, which they viewed as necessary to ward off long-range torpedo attacks by destroyers.
Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels disagreed, and on 3 January 1914, rejected the design owing to its higher cost.
Instead, he ordered the Navy to accept a repeat of the preceding Pennsylvania class, which might be fitted with separate slides for the main guns.

Work on the design continued through the year; the designers were concerned that earlier battleships were too "wet" forward, leading to the adoption of a clipper bow to reduce the tendency to ship water in heavy seas.
Additionally, experience with existing ships had revealed that the secondary battery, mounted in casemates in the forecastle deck, were effectively unusable in rough sea conditions.
The designers therefore moved eighteen of the guns a deck higher and further aft, where they would be less prone to being washed out.
Weight savings elsewhere allowed the designers to strengthen the main deck and the transverse bulkhead at either end of the belt.
Daniels approved these changes on 2 July, and the following month, BuOrd suggested a newly developed 50-caliber version of 14-inch gun be used, which Watt authorized in September.
The longer gun produced a higher muzzle velocity, which allowed the shells to penetrate an additional 2 in (51 mm) of armor at 10,000 yd (9,100 m).
By this time, work on the design stopped, as bids for the contracts were to be submitted starting on 6 October.

Despite the fact that the offer period had opened, one more major change to the design was made.
At the time, the standard propulsion system for warships relied on steam turbines to turn propeller shafts, though the former operated most efficiently at high speed, whil
In the early 1910s, the US Navy began experimenting with 16-inch (406 mm) guns as other navies began to move to 15 in (380 mm) weapons. As development of the new guns progressed, the Navy evaluated a series of proposals for ships incorporating 16-inch guns. The first was a ten-gun ship with five twin-gun turrets that also included improved armor compared to earlier battleships. Additionally, the secondary battery was increased from the standard US armament of 5-inch (130 mm) guns to 6-inch (150 mm) weapons. Another smaller version with eight 16-inch guns was also suggested, along with a design mounting the then-standard 14-inch (360 mm) gun. As work on the new design progressed, the cost of the vessels increased significantly. Compared to the cost of a 14-inch-gunned ship—$12 million—the eight gun ship was estimated to cost $16.5 million, while the price for the ten gun ship rose to $19 million.
Even before trials of the new guns had been completed, Rear Admiral Joseph Strauss, then the Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance (BuOrd), argued in 1913 that the 16-inch gun was not worth pursuing; he argued that at the expected battle ranges of the day, the 14-inch gun was capable of penetrating heavy armor plate just as effectively and that a ship carrying twelve of those guns had a much better chance of hitting than a ship with eight 16-inch guns. The General Board concurred and instructed the designers to work on the 14-inch ship. Existing turrets for those guns used a single recoil slide for all three guns, which caused concern that a single hit could jam it and thus disable all three guns. Strauss accordingly suggested that the designers at the Bureau of Construction and Repair, under Chief Constructor Richard Watt, incorporate independent slides.
The design staff submitted two proposals on 21 November 1913: a 35,500-long-ton (36,100 t) version and a 33,200-long-ton (33,700 t) variant. The first incorporated a secondary battery of twenty 6-inch guns, while the smaller one retained twenty-two of the standard 5-inch guns. Weight savings were also achieved by reducing the thickness of the barbette and belt armor by an inch, and reducing fuel capacity. The General Board preferred the larger of the two, citing the heavier armor as needed to defeat the latest 15-inch guns being adopted in foreign battleships and the stronger secondary battery, which they viewed as necessary to ward off long-range torpedo attacks by destroyers. Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels disagreed, and on 3 January 1914, rejected the design owing to its higher cost. Instead, he ordered the Navy to accept a repeat of the preceding Pennsylvania class, which might be fitted with separate slides for the main guns.
Work on the design continued through the year; the designers were concerned that earlier battleships were too "wet" forward, leading to the adoption of a clipper bow to reduce the tendency to ship water in heavy seas. Additionally, experience with existing ships had revealed that the secondary battery, mounted in casemates in the forecastle deck, were effectively unusable in rough sea conditions. The designers therefore moved eighteen of the guns a deck higher and further aft, where they would be less prone to being washed out. Weight savings elsewhere allowed the designers to strengthen the main deck and the transverse bulkhead at either end of the belt. Daniels approved these changes on 2 July, and the following month, BuOrd suggested a newly developed 50-caliber version of 14-inch gun be used, which Watt authorized in September. The longer gun produced a higher muzzle velocity, which allowed the shells to penetrate an additional 2 in (51 mm) of armor at 10,000 yd (9,100 m). By this time, work on the design stopped, as bids for the contracts were to be submitted starting on 6 October.
Despite the fact that the offer period had opened, one more major change to the design was made. At the time, the standard propulsion system for warships relied on steam turbines to turn propeller shafts, though the former operated most efficiently at high speed, whil
New Mexico-class battleship