The Montana class of US fast battleships were planned as the successors to the Iowa class by the United States Navy. Similar in speed to the smaller North Carolina and South Dakota classes, but larger, better armored, and with superior firepower. The US Navy intended on building five Montana class battleships.

They wouold have been armed with twelve 16 inch, 50 caliber Mark 7 guns in four 3-gun turrets. Unlike the three preceding classes of battleships, the Montana class was designed without any restrictions from treaty limitations. With an increased anti-aircraft capability and substantially thicker armor in all areas, the Montanas would have been the largest, best-protected, and most heavily armed US battleships ever. They also would have been the only class to rival the Empire of Japan's Yamato-class battleships in terms of displacement.

Preliminary design work for the Montana class began before the US entry into World War II. The first two vessels were approved by Congress in 1939 following the passage of the Naval Act of 1938. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor delayed the construction of the Montana class. The success of carrier combat at the Battle of the Coral Sea and, to a greater extent, the Battle of Midway, diminished the perceived value of the battleship. Consequently, the US Navy chose to cancel the Montana class in favor of more urgently needed aircraft carriers as well as amphibious and anti-submarine vessels.

Because the Iowa class had already been started and urgently needed to operate alongside the new Essex class aircraft carriers, their orders were retained, making them the last US Navy battleships to be commissioned.

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