TheRam class was aship class of twominelayers built in theDutch East Indies for theGovernment Navy.^[2][3] However, before the minelayers could be completed the Dutch East Indies wasinvaded by theJapanese.^[4] As a result, the ships were completed asgunboats by the Japanese and taken into service of theImperial Japanese Navy.^[5]

TheRam classminelayers were originally built for theGovernment Navy.^[6][7] While the ships were still being built theJapaneseinvaded theDutch East Indies.^[4] To prevent capture or destruction several measures were taken, such as towing the incompleteRam toTjilatjap in December 1941.^[2][8] As the invasion progressed and the Dutch were forced to retreat it was decided in March 1942 to destroy both ships.^[4]

The two minelayers of theRam class were built at different shipyards in the Dutch East Indies.^[9]Ram was built at theDroogdok Maatschappij Tandjong Priok, whileRegulus was built atDroogdok Maatschappij Soerabaja.^[2][10] It was estimated that the construction of the ships would take one and a half years to be completed.^[11] The ships were at the time the largest ships to be built in the Dutch East Indies.^[12] Besides being minelayers, the ships could also function asseaplane tender.^[13]

When it came to armaments theRam class minelayers were to be equipped with two 7.5 cmcannons, two 40 mmmachine guns, 80mines and 25depth charges.^[5]

• Backer Dirks, F.C. (1986).De Gouvernements marine in het voormalige Nederlands-Indië in haar verschillende tijdsperioden geschetst: 1861-1949 (in Dutch). Vol. III. Houten: De Boer Maritiem.ISBN 90-228-1884-5.
• Bosscher, Ph.M. (1986).De Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog (in Dutch). Vol. 2: Indië tot en met 8 maart 1942. Franeker: Wever.ISBN 90-6135-372-6.
• Jentschura, Hansgeorg; Jung, Dieter & Mickel, Peter (1977).Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute.ISBN 978-0-87021-893-4.
• Mark, Chris (1997).Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in W.O. II (in Dutch). Alkmaar: De Alk.ISBN 90-6013-522-9.
• von Münching, L.L. (1978).Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog (in Dutch). Alkmaar: Alk.ISBN 90-6013-903-8.
• Raven, G.J.A., ed. (1988).De kroon op het anker: 175 jaar Koninklijke Marine (in Dutch). Amsterdam: De Bataafsche Leeuw.ISBN 90-6707-200-1.
• Roberts, John (1980). "The Netherlands". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.).Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Conway Maritime Press. pp. 385–396.ISBN 0-85177-146-7.

• Ram-class minelayers
• Mine warfare vessel classes

• CS1 Dutch-language sources (nl)
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Ship infoboxes without an image
• CS1: long volume value