Almirante Grau underwent a major modernization program between 1985 and 1988 during which she was fitted with new weapons and electronics. She was the last gun cruiser in service in any navy before being decommissioned on 26 September 2017.
In 2019, it was to be said that she would be preserved as a museum ship. However, it was later announced on 14 February 2022 that the ship would put up for sale with an asking price of 4,180,000 soles (1,112,520 USD).[citation needed]
Construction
HNLMS De Ruyter in her original post-war configuration.
Her Majesty Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Captain W. J. Kruys with Officers and crew at the commissioning of HNLMS De Ruyter in 1953.
After the liberation of the Netherlands, the Navy completed De Zeven Provinciën with modifications.
She was commissioned as HNLMS De Ruyter (C801) on 18 November 1953, in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. The first captain of the new cruiser was W. J. Kruys.[1][3]
Royal Netherlands Navy service
De Ruytens seen here in September 1971, just before she was decommissioned.
In Dutch service both ships participated in several NATO exercises, and were frequently used as flagships for different naval task forces.
Between 1962 and 1964, De Zeven Provinciën underwent a refit which included the removal of the two aft turrets and the installation of a RIM-2 TerrierSAM system, but lack of funds precluded the same modifications from being carried out in De Ruyter.[citation needed]
After two decades in service, she was decommissioned on 16 October 1972.[2]
Peruvian Navy service
BAP Almirante Grau (CLM-81) leaves the harbor of Curaçao, June 1973.
From 1985 until 1988, she underwent a major modernization program by Amsterdam Naval Services (ANS) at its shipyard in Amsterdam, during which she was denominated Proyecto de Modernización 01 (Modernization Project 01) or PM-01.
Her role as flagship was assumed by her sistership Aguirre as Almirante Grau. Both ships regained their former names when the former De Ruyter returned to Callao on 15 February 1988.
The upgrade program carried out in the Netherlands included the following:
Fitting of the Signaal SEWACO Foresee PE combat management system
Two OTO Melara Twin 40L70 DARDO compact gun mountings were fitted in 1996, replacing four single Bofors 40/70 mm gun mountings
The LW-08 radar was later replaced by an AN/SPS-6, the former being installed in the frigate BAP Carvajal (FM-51) in 2003.[4]
Decommissioning
Almirante Grau was decommissioned on 26 September 2017. She was the last gun cruiser in service in any navy,[5] although its main armament was supplemented with Otomatanti-ship missiles.[5] She was replaced by the BAP Montero, now known as BAP Almirante Grau.
On 9 August 2019, the Peruvian Navy announced that she would be preserved as a museum ship in Lima,[6] though in February 2022, the ship was placed on sale.[7] In July 2022 it was reported[8] that she was to be scrapped.