Project 1155-class (Udaloy)

Project 1155, designated Fregat and known by the NATO reporting name Udaloy, was developed in the 1970s by the Severnoye Design Bureau. The design originated from a Soviet naval requirement for specialized surface combatants to manage production costs associated with large-displacement multi-role vessels. The class was designed to serve as a specialized anti-submarine platform to complement the anti-surface and anti-aircraft capabilities of Sovremenny-class destroyers. Production occurred at the Yantar and Zhdanov shipyards between 1977 and 1994. In 1982, designers began developing Project 1155.1 (Udaloy II), a variant intended to provide a more balanced armament suite and improved anti-ship capabilities.

The class is based on the Krivak-class design with a primary focus on anti-submarine warfare. Project 1155 vessels are equipped with hull-mounted and towed low-frequency sonars, specialized anti-submarine missiles, and anti-submarine rocket launchers. The ships feature a helipad and hangar to support aviation operations. The Project 1155.1 variant utilized the Zvezda M-2 sonar system, which is heavier and bulkier than comparable systems used on contemporary American destroyers. This variant also updated the weapon configuration with anti-ship missiles and a revised naval gun arrangement. A modernization program for the fleet began in 2015 to extend the service life of the vessels until the commissioning of the Admiral Gorshkov-class. This refit replaces original anti-submarine missiles and guns with universal vertical launch cells for Kalibr and Oniks cruise missiles, while also updating radio-electronic warfare and life support systems.

The first vessel of the class entered service in 1980. The class has been operated by the Soviet Navy and subsequently the Russian Navy, with units assigned to the Northern and Pacific Fleets. Twelve ships were completed to the original Project 1155 standard, while only one unit of the Project 1155.1 design reached completion following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and subsequent military spending cuts. Operational history includes the 2008 transit of the Panama Canal by Admiral Chabanenko and the 2014 deployment of Vice-Admiral Kulakov to the Mediterranean. Several vessels have been retired or scrapped due to age or damage, such as Admiral Zakharov, which was decommissioned following a fire. Modernized units, including Marshal Shaposhnikov, have been reclassified as frigates following their reconfiguration and return to service. Eight units remain active or in the process of modernization.