Impero was the fourth Littorio-class battleship built for Italy's Regia Marina (Royal Navy) during the Second World War.

The entrance of Italy into World War II forced the Regia Marina to refocus its construction priorities on escort warships, so Impero was left incomplete.

After Italy surrendered to the Allies on 8 September 1943, the rest of the Italian Navy steamed to Sardinia to rendezvous with their American contemporaries.

Once he did, two old battleships of the Conte di Cavour class were sent to be modernized in the same year, and Vittorio Veneto and Littorio were laid down in 1934.

In December 1935, Admiral Domenico Cavagnari proposed to Mussolini that, among other things, two more battleships of the Littorio class be built to attempt to counter a possible Franco-British alliance—if the two countries combined forces, they would easily outnumber the Italian fleet.

Her secondary anti-surface armament would have consisted of twelve 152 mm (6 in) 55-caliber Model 1934/35 guns in four triple turrets amidships.

[5] Impero was to be fitted with a catapult on her stern and equipped with three IMAM Ro.43 reconnaissance float planes or Reggiane Re.2000 fighters.

[1] With Genoa being in bombing range of France, and war now a definite possibility, Impero was moved to Brindisi on 8 June 1940 due to fears of a French attack.

Nevertheless, the Regia Marina decided to shift production priorities to desperately needed escorts for merchant convoys.