Editing USS Missouri (BB-63) (section)

===Protection===
The internal waterline [[armor belt]] of the ''Iowa''-class ships is {{cvt|12.1|in|0}} thick and has a height of {{cvt|10|ft|6|in|m|1}}. Below it is a [[strake]] of Class B [[rolled homogeneous armor|homogeneous armor]] plate that tapers in thickness from 12.1 inches at the top to {{cvt|1.62|in|mm}} at the bottom and is {{cvt|28|ft|m|1}} high. The two strakes of armor are inclined outwards at the top 19 degrees to improve the armor's resistance to horizontal fire. In general the vertical armor plates are made from Class A [[Krupp armour#Krupp cemented armour|cemented armor]] and the horizontal armor from Class B or [[special treatment steel]] (STS). The belt armor extends to the two transverse [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkhead]]s fore and aft of the main-gun [[barbette]]s, forming the [[armored citadel]]. Part of the lower armor belt extends aft from the rear bulkhead to protect the ships' steering gear. Its maximum thickness ranges from {{cvt|13|to|13.5|in|mm|0}} at the top and the plates taper to 5 inches at the bottom. Unlike the ''Iowa'' and ''New Jersey'', the armor plates in the forward transverse bulkhead in ''Missouri'' and ''Wisconsin'' have a maximum thickness of {{cvt|14.5|in|0}} at the top that tapers to {{cvt|11.7|in|0}}. The aft bulkhead is a consistent 14.5 inches in thickness, but does not go below the lower belt extension due it meeting the armored third deck protecting the shafts and steering gears; the steering gear is closed by another 14.5-inch aft bulkhead.{{sfn|Sumrall|pages=128–129, 170–171}}

The main-gun turrets has Class B plates {{cvt|19.5|in|0}} thick on their faces and {{cvt|9.5|in|0}} of Class A plates on their sides. The armor plates protecting their barbettes range in thickness from {{cvt|17.3|in|0}} to {{cvt|14.8|in|0}} and {{cvt|11.6|in|0}} with the thickest plates on the sides and the thinnest ones on the front and back. The sides of the conning tower are {{cvt|17.3|in}} thick. The [[main deck]] of the ''Iowa''s consists of {{cvt|1.5|in}} of STS. Below this deck, the roof of the armored citadel is formed by {{cvt|6|in|0}} of armor in two layers. Below this is a deck of {{convert|0.625|in|adj=on|0}} STS plates intended to stop splinters from shells that pierced the armored deck above it. The armor deck extends aft and the roof of the steering gear compartment is {{cvt|6.2|in}} thick.{{sfn|Sumrall|pages=129–130}}

The [[Torpedo belt|underwater protection system]] of the ''Iowa''-class battleships consists of three [[watertight compartment]]s outboard of the lower armor belt and another behind it. The two outermost compartment are kept loaded with fuel oil or seawater to absorb the energy of the torpedo [[warhead]]'s detonation and slow the resulting splinters so they can be stopped by the lower armor belt. Behind the belt is a [[Torpedo bulkhead|holding bulkhead]] intended to protect the ships' inner spaces from any splinters that might penetrate and the subsequent flooding. For protection against [[naval mine]]s, the ''Iowa''s have a [[double bottom]] that runs the full length of the ships and increases to a triple bottom except at the bow and stern.{{sfn|Sumrall|pages=130, 132}}