De Zeven Provinciën - class cruiser The " De Zeven Provinciën " - class ( also called " Eendracht " - class ) is a class of light cruiser s . They were built by Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij ( RDM ) and Wilton - Fijenoord for the Royal Netherlands Navy . The name " De Zeven Provinciën " refers to the seven provinces which formed the Dutch Republic in 1581 . Design . In the 1930s there was an increased awareness in the Netherlands about the threat which the Imperial Japanese Navy posed to the Dutch East Indies . To face this , the " Koninklijke Marine " embarked on a major naval expansion program in 1932 , which included building two new light cruiser s as replacements for the aging " Java " - class cruisers . The design was an improvement of the earlier HNLMS " De Ruyter " and both ships were laid down in 1939 . The first was named " Kijkduin " , later changed to " Eendracht " , and the second one received the name " De Zeven Provinciën " , hence the name of the class . However , construction was interrupted by the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands on 10 May 1940 . The Germans continued work on " De Zeven Provinciën " which was more advanced than its twin ; it was renamed " KH2 " and modified by fitting an " Atlantik Bow " . Work progressed very slowly as the dockyards ' capacity was used for other purposes and sabotage by the Dutch resistance affected progress . On 24 December 1944 , " KH2 " was launched for use as a blockship in the Nieuwe Waterweg of Rotterdam but this action was never carried out . After the end of World War II , construction resumed on both ships to a modified design which incorporated the lessons of the war . Armament was modified from two triple and two twin Bofors 152 / 53 mm guns , six twin 40 mm AA and two triple 533 mm torpedo tube s to four twin Bofors 152 / 53 mm guns , four twin Bofors 57 / 60 mm guns and eight single Bofors 40 / 70 mm guns . An improved propulsion plant was fitted as well as a second funnel and advanced electronics . Names were also changed with " Eendracht " becoming " De Zeven Provinciën " and the former " De Zeven Provinciën " being renamed " De Ruyter " . Both ships were finally commissioned by the Royal Netherlands Navy in 1953 . Ships in class . There are two ships in the class : HNLMS " De Zeven Provinciën " ( renamed " De Ruyter " in 1947 ) and " Kijkduin " ( renamed " Eendracht " c . 1940 , " De Ruyter " in 1944 and " De Zeven Provinciën " in 1947 ) . Both ships have enjoyed long service lives , first in the " Koninklijke Marine " ( until early 1970s ) and then in the " Marina de Guerra del Perú " . Royal Netherlands Navy . In Dutch service both ships participated in several NATO exercises , and were frequently used as flagship s for different naval task force s . Between 1962 and 1964 , the " De Zeven Provinciën " underwent a refit by RDM which included the removal of the two aft turrets and the installation of a RIM - 2 Terrier SAM system . Lack of funds precluded the same modifications from being carried out in the " De Ruyter " , which was decommissioned in 1973 . Her sister ship followed suit in 1976 ; the cruisers were replaced in Dutch service by the two " Tromp " - class frigates . Peruvian Navy . " De Ruyter " was acquired by the Peruvian Navy and recommissioned in 1973 as BAP " Almirante Grau " . The " De Zeven Provinciën " was also bought in 1976 , its RIM - 2 Terrier SAM was removed and replaced by a hangar and a flight deck for ASH - 3D Sea King helicopter s , and recommissioned in 1978 as BAP " Aguirre " . From 1985 until 1988 the " Almirante Grau " underwent a major modernization by Amsterdam Naval Services ( ANS ) , which has allowed the ship to remain in service , whereas the " Aguirre " was decommissioned in 1999 .