Complex sentence: The basic hull was more modern and had better armor protection than vast majority of the post WW2 gun cruiser designs built and fielded by peer nations and they also carried an extensive suite of modern radar equipment and anti-aircraft artillery.
Split into simpler sentences: The basic hull was more modern and had better armor protection than vast majority of the post World War Two gun cruiser designs built and deployed by peer nations. They also carried an extensive suite of modern radar equipment and anti-aircraft artillery.