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BAP Aguirre (CH-84)
BAP Aguirre (CH-84) was a De Ruyter class cruiser in service with the Peruvian Navy. It was completed for the Royal Netherlands Navy in 1953 as HNLMS De Zeven Provincien. After two decades in service, it was decommissioned in 1976 and sold to Peru on August of that year. Before being transferred to the Pacific Ocean, it underwent a major rebuild program by Rotterdamse Droogdok Maatschappij (RDM) at its shipyard in Rotterdam. Modifications included the removal of its RIM-2 Terrier SAM system and the installation of a fixed hangar and a flight deck. The upgrade was finished on October 31 1977 and the ship was commissioned on February 24 1978 at the Dutch naval base of Den Helder. Renamed Aguirre, in honor of the Peruvian Commander Elias Aguirre, it arrived to its new homeport of Callao on May 17 1978.
In service, the Aguirre participated in several exercises, including the multinational UNITAS manoeuvres. From August 7 1986 through February 15 1988, while the BAP Almirante Grau (CLM-81) underwent a major refit in the Netherlands, the Aguirre was temporarily renamed Almirante Grau and designated as fleet flagship. By the 1990s the ship systems were beginning to show their age, but lack of funds rendered impossible any major upgrade. Finally, on March 21 1999, the ship was decommissioned as part of several defense cuts undertaken after the 1998 peace treaty with Ecuador.
Sources
Rodriguez Asti, John, Cruceros. Buques de la Marina de Guerra del Peru desde 1884. Direccion de Intereses Maritimos, 2000.
Toppan, Andrew, World Aircraft Carriers List: Peru. http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/peru.htm
''Jane's Major Warships 2003''
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