The class was composed of 4 units. Littorio was renamed Italia after the fall of fascism on 25 July 1943. Her and Vittorio Veneto reached Malta on 9/9/43, Littorio being damaged by a Fritz-X radio guided bomb on the way, at which time sister ship Roma was sunk with heavy loss of life. Note: As Roma did not serve under Allied control she is not included here

The 4th unit was named Impero, she was suspended in 1941 when she was still a long way from completion and scrapped post-war.

Neither ship which reached Malta was used by the Allies, both were sent to the Suez area and moored in the Great Bitter Lake, remaining there well past the end of the war. The Peace Treaty allocated one each to the UK and the US, both refused delivery and they were scrapped in Italy between 1948-50.