In September 1943, Italy capitulated and signed an Armistice with the Allies. "Littorio" was then renamed "Italia". The three active battleships were transferred to Malta before they were to be interned in Alexandria. While en route to Malta, German bombers attacked the fleet with Fritz X radio-guided bombs, damaging "Italia" and sinking "Roma". Nevertheless, "Italia" and "Vittorio Veneto" reached Malta and were interned. The incomplete "Impero" was seized by the Germans after Italy withdrew from the war and used as a target, until she was sunk by American bombers in 1945. "Italia" and "Vittorio Veneto" were awarded to the United States and Britain, respectively, as war prizes. "Italia", "Vittorio Veneto", and "Impero" were broken up for scrap between 1952 and 1954.