Late Period Soviet Naval Uniforms
(1979 - 1991)

The uniforms of Soviet naval forces underwent little substantive change during the final years of the Soviet period.  The first change came on 28 March 1980 that changed the wearing of decorations on the uniform.  The order stipulated that the awards were to be worn horizontally across the breast rather than diagonally as had been done previously.  In this same year the shoulder boards of enlisted men were also changed.  The individual letters that designated which fleet the sailor was a part of were eliminated in favor of a single Cyrillic letter 'F' which signified 'fleet'.

A more significant change came about in 1985 when the naval infantry transitioned from their black combat utilities to a new camouflage design based on the pattern used by the airborne forces.  This new pattern was called the TTsKO in the Soviet Union and the 'woodland pattern' in the West.  It was also more comfortable and featured additional pockets.

The final major uniform revision took place in 1988 by order Ministry of Defense Prikaz #250.  This decree broadly modernized Soviet garrison uniforms for the first time since the late sixties.  In addition to updating the look of the military, it also introduced shirtsleeve order uniforms for sailors who worked in administrative office environments. 

These uniforms of this period can be seen on the table below.  The uniforms of admirals and generals are described in the upper section.  Officers and michmen can be found listed in the middle of the table.  Conscripts, extended service men, and cadets are shown in the bottom part of the table.  Special purpose uniforms such as diving equipment, chemical protection suits, and the like can be found in the final section.  At the bottom of the page is a list of source material that we have used to compile information about the uniforms.

• Admirals and Generals

• Officers and Michmen, and Praporchiks

• Conscripts, Extended Servicemen, and Cadets

• Special Purpose Uniforms

• Source Material