They easily could. However, battleships have little place in modern navies and it is arguable whether they ever had a place at all (very few major battleship engagements and many were inconsequential to their respective wars). read more
The removal of the ships many five-inch guns could make room for new capabilities and reduce the crew complement by at least a couple hundred sailors, which is a good thing considering these ships sailed with a crew of over 1,500 during the 1980s and early 1990s. read more