The Ikoma was almost 20 years old when it was taken in hand for full refurbishment to the Area Defense Vessel type. Because of its age the Ikoma did not have as many new features fitted as some of the more modern pre-dreadnoughts. A cruiser style bridge superstructure was fitted, the funnels were trunked together to clear space for the new superstructures. The lower gun deck was removed completely and plated over. The upper gun deck was revamped to fit six of the single 5.5" guns as fitted to the light cruisers of the time. One twin 5.5" which was the trial unit for the last of the light cruisers which were to go from seven single guns to four twins (a hint for what is to come). The 5.5" being low angle guns, four 3" AA weapons were fitted for anti-aircraft use, while some of the first twin 25mm mountings were fitted before 1930. The original seven inch side armour was replaced with a thinner 2" belt over the vitals, mainly for defense from light weapons.
The Ikoma had a very busy start to the war. Taking part in the subjugation of the Dutch East Indies, the Ikoma's main duties were to drop off troops to all of the smaller islands that had populations. Any resistance was answered by the guns of the Ikoma. On to 1942 and the Ikoma has the duty of flying patrols around the Solomon Islands, based on Guadalcanal, while an airfield was being built. The Ikoma resisted the US Marines landing and taking of the airfield. Its guns cratering the airfield to deny its use to US aircraft while giving Japanese forces a chance to retake the airfield. SBD Dauntless dive bombers from Admiral Halsey's carriers cured the problem of the Ikoma, hitting the old ship with half a dozen or more 500lb bombs which blew out the bottom of the ship. The crew tried to beach the ship, so it would become a static gun emplacement, but failed and the ship capsized in deeper water, becoming a complete loss.
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