The outbreak of World War II caused the Swedish Navy to change its naval strategy, with it being decided to base the fleet on two squadrons of destroyers, each of which would be led by a cruiser, instead of the existing organisation of slow coastal defence ships and small torpedo boats.

[3] They could fire a 46-kilogram (101 lb) shell to a range of 26,000 metres (28,000 yd) at a rate of 12–15 rounds per minute,[4] and could elevate to 70 degrees, being capable of both anti-surface and anti-aircraft use.

[5][6] A political debate broke out about the cruisers, with this, together with rework of the design, ensured that work did not start until 1943.

[5] Tre Kronor went into reserve in 1958, was stricken on 1 January 1964 and sold for scrap in 1968,[8] being used to build a pontoon bridge.

[7] Sold to Chile to serve as Almirante Latorre, 18 September 1971 Stricken (Chilean Navy), 1984[7]