This battleship was to be built under Fiscal Year 1915 and of which de design reflected the decision of the Secretary of Navy on 3 January 1913 that the new battleship was to replace the BB 38 design. (1) The 14”guns were to be mounted independently while the single three-gun sleeves provided separate elevations of the single guns. Furthermore was the ship 5 feet shorter than in the design dated 8 January, 400 tons lighter but yet was her draft almost one foot more.
The technical details of this design were. Displacement 32.000 tons and as dimensions 600 (waterline) x 96.0 (waterline) x 3.0. feet. Block coefficient .649 and longitudinal coefficient .662. The 32.000 tons displacement included 15.168 tons for hull complete with fittings, 8.551 tons for protection, 2.428 tons for steam engineering, 21 tons for reserve feed and 2/3 supply, 1.658 tons for battery, 1.310 tons for ammunition and 2/3 ordnance stores, 1.110 tons for equipment and equipment stores, outfit and 2/3 stores and 1.563 tons for oil fuel and 2/3 full supply. Turbine driven and with three boiler rooms. Speed 21 knots with a horsepower of 36.000 shp and with a cruising speed of 10 knots a arrange of 8.000 nautical miles. The main armament consisted of 4x3-14” B.L.R. guns, 22-5” 51cal quick firing guns and 4-21submerged torpedo tubes. The armour consisted of a main side belt 17’4 5/8” extreme with, 8’6” depth below the waterline and 13½”, ۫13½” and 8” thickness. The barbettes were protected by 3”(STS) 13” (heavy part), the turrets by 5”(top)-9”(rear)-10.9” (sides)-18” (port), the conning tower proper 8” (top)-16”, fire control tower 16”, conning tower tube 6” (light part)-16” (heavy part), uptake protection 15”-12”-9”, protective deck total thickness 120 and splinter deck 60&80.
Note
1. The New Mexico-class consisting of the New Mexico (BB-40), Mississippi (BB-41) and Idaho (BB-42), was preceded by the Pennsylvania-class and succeeded by the Tennessee-class and built between 1915-1919.
