Navy Senior Lieutenant (1978)
 

The Officer is Wearing:

The Officer in the picture is wearing the 1969 lightweight tropical uniform.  The piloitka is dark blue with white piping.  A black band and naval cockade are fixed to the front of the cap.

His shirt is a matching dark blue has standard navy black shoulder boards.  The lightweight blue and white telnyashka is visible under the shirt.  Dark blue shorts complete the uniform.

Black sandals with holes (not pictured) are worn with this uniform.

Sources Cited

Return to Navy Uniforms
of the Soviet Superpower
 

Service Chronology

As the Soviet navy began to expand its reach in the 1960's it was determined that a new uniform would be needed for operations in warm weather conditions.  Prior to this, the only accommodation the navy had made for hot weather was found in Article 64 of the 1958 regulations which allowed for sailors on ships to wear sandals and those ashore to wear sport shoes outdoors. (2)  This changed in 1965 with the introduction of the first naval tropical uniforms.  The 1965 lightweight officer's uniform was similar to the 1969 version seen here except that it featured a white beret in place of the piloitka and different style sandals.

In 1969 the lightweight summer uniform was authorized by Article 110 of Decree No. 4024-VII.  It established "Summer lightweight clothing for wearng in areas with hot climate in the USSR and sailing in areas south of 40` N latitude (except for the Sea of Japan): dark blue short sleeved jacket and dark blue short pants and sandals" and a "dark blue cap with removable visor."  The 1974 uniform regulation revision did not affect the uniform and reauthorized it.  The 1988 regulations also maintained the uniform as it was (though it moved the requirement to Article 109). (3)(4)

The ultimate fate of the uniform is uncertain at present as Russian Federation regulations are difficult to obtain, and none we have observed so far have mentioned the uniform.  It is likely that the lightweight tropical uniform persisted at least as far as 1994 when the Russian Federation released its first uniform regulations.  Past this date its fate is currently uncertain.