BPC Admiral Levchenko: history, TTH and the fate of the boat

The power of the Russian Navy in the late twentieth century is impossible to imagine without the legendary "anti-submarine" project 1155. Large Anti-Submarine boat (BPC)The boat, named after twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Admiral Alexei Innokentyevich Levchenko, has come a long and difficult journey, becoming a symbol of engineering and naval prowess of the Soviet era.

The history of the boat’s creation is closely intertwined with the Cold War, when the main threat was considered to be nuclear submarines of a potential enemy. Admiral Levchenko Designed as a specialized submarine hunter, capable of operating as a squadron or on his own, his launch and subsequent service were important milestones in history. Northern Fleet.

Now that the boat is no longer in the ocean, there's still a lot of interest in its design and its path, and model collectors, military historians and marine enthusiasts are studying every aspect of its design. rocket-artillery afloat, equipped with advanced equipment for its time.

Design and creation of the legendary anti-submarine

The development of Project 1155 was carried out in the Northern Design Bureau (Leningrad), under the leadership of the chief designer N. P. Sobolev, the main task of the engineers was to create a universal boat that could effectively search for and destroy submarines at great depths and speeds.

The keel of the future Admiral Levchenko The boat was built on 16 January 1980 at the Zhdanov Shipyard, and was built at a high pace because the fleet was in dire need of modern units. BPC-654.When it launched in 1981, it became apparent that the fleet was receiving a truly large and formidable unit.

⚠️ Attention: Not to be confused with the Project 1155 BOD with the Project 956 destroyers, although of similar size, they are different boats: the former are sharpened under the SAF, the latter under attack on surface targets.

The boat was equipped with the latest Soviet electronics. hydroacoustic The Polinom, which allowed targets to be detected at extreme distances, began sea trials in 1982, which confirmed the high reliability of the boat's mechanisms and systems.

Design features and architecture of the body

The hull is made of steel and has an elongated shape, which ensured excellent seaworthiness in stormy conditions of the Barents Sea. Admiral Levchenko It was larger than many NATO destroyers at the time, and the architecture was designed to reduce visibility and increase survivability.

The main feature of the project was a two-shaft gas turbine power plant, which allowed to develop a full power of 72,000 horsepower. anti-submarine operationsWhen you need to quickly change position or develop a full stroke to intercept the target.

The deck and superstructures housed many radar antennas and communications systems, the boat had a developed bow superstructure with two masts, and to reduce radar visibility (though in the 80s this was not given the same importance as now), the shapes of the deckhouses had inclined sides. Artillery installations They were placed in the nose and on the stern, providing a circular defense.

The interior was designed to accommodate a large crew of over 300, and the conditions on the Project 1155 boats were considered among the best in the fleet, with gyms, saunas and spacious cabins, to maintain morale on long autonomous voyages.

Armament: Strike power and means of defense

The Admiral Levchenko BPC carried an impressive arsenal capable of solving any complexity, and the basis of the strike weapons was two quantified containers. Uranus RPC (later converted) or earlier P-120 Malachite, but the main specialization remained the fight against submarines.

The unique RBU-6000 Smerch-2 rocket system was used to destroy underwater targets, the twelve-barreled installations provided high fire density and could hit enemy torpedoes on the approach to the boat, and there was a torpedo tube for the use of anti-submarine torpedoes.

• 🚀 Missile weapons: 8 missiles of the Uranium complex (or Malachite in the early years).
• 🔫 Artillery: two 130-mm AK-130 and two complexes "Ogonek" (30 mm).
• 🌊 Anti-submarine: 2x12 RBU-6000 and TA-65 torpedo tube.
• 🚁 Aviation: Two Ka-27 helicopters on board to search and attack submarines.

The two Daggers, with 32 missiles, provided anti-aircraft protection, a revolutionary solution that allowed them to shoot down low-altitude targets, and later, as the upgrades progressed, the weapons could change, but the basic concept remained unchanged. Artillery systems The AK-130 had a rate of fire of up to 90 rounds per minute per barrel.

Service biography in the Northern Fleet

Stand by. Admiral Levchenko The boat joined the Northern Fleet and was based in Severomorsk, and its first years of service were devoted to intensive development of equipment and combat service in the Atlantic, and it participated in the Warsaw Pact exercises on several occasions.

In the 1980s, the BPC made a series of long-distance voyages to ports in friendly countries, established itself as a reliable and seaworthy boat, with special attention to working out interaction with aviation and other squadron boats. Combat training It was all year round, regardless of the ice.

⚠️ Attention: In the 1990s, during a period of declining naval funding, many Project 1155 boats were mothballed or scrapped, and Admiral Levchenko managed to maintain combat readiness thanks to a qualified crew and timely repairs.

The boat was heavily involved in maritime safety and water control, and underwent a mid-term overhaul in the early 2000s, which upgraded its electronic equipment, extending its lifespan by another decade.

Technical specifications of the BPC project 1155

To fully understand the scale of the boat, you need to turn to dry numbers. Admiral Levchenko It was a large and heavy vehicle that allowed it to carry a huge supply of fuel and weapons, and the following is a table with basic tactical and technical data.

The power plant included 4 gas turbine engines, two propulsion engines provided economical propulsion, and two afterburners were turned on to develop full speed, which made the boat very fast, but required a huge fuel consumption. Autonomy The food supply was 30 days.

The boat had 318 crew members, including flight crews, and required a complex life support system to accommodate such a large number of people, with water desalinators and powerful air conditioners that could be deployed in all latitudes, from the tropics to the Arctic ice.

Modernization and current status of the boat

By the mid-2000s, it became apparent that the boat needed a major upgrade to continue its service, replacing outdated fire control systems and installing new weapons, but economic realities made their own adjustments to the fleet's plans.

Instead of a full-fledged modernization, it was decided to withdraw the boat from combat. BPC Admiral Levchenko The boat was disarmed and removed from the fleet's lists in the 2010s, replaced by the more modern Project 11540 and Project 22350 frigates.

The boat is currently in reserve or awaiting disposal, a fate typical of many Cold War heroes, yet Admiral Levchenko’s name is a symbol of power and reliability.

⚠️ Attention: Information about the exact location and current status of decommissioned boats is often private and may vary, and is current at the time of the last open source.

Legacy and Importance for the Russian Navy

Project 1155 was the pinnacle of the development of Soviet anti-submarine boats. Admiral Levchenko And it's also proved that even without aircraft carriers, the Navy can effectively control the oceans, and that they're used to design new boats.

Many of the technical solutions used on this BOD were unique, for example, the combination of powerful sonar and high-speed artillery allowed to fight in difficult conditions. School of EngineeringThe boat that built these boats is a source of pride.

Today, models of the boat can be found in collections around the world, and photographs of the Admiral Levchenko adorn the albums of the sea, a living reminder of the time when the ocean was roaming giants created to protect the borders of the homeland.