Northern Fleet Submarine Division celebrates 50th anniversary

29.08.2011 Festive activities took place on Aug 27 at Gadzhievo Naval Base, Northern Fleet (NF) associated with 50th jubilee of NF Red Banner Submarine Division.

The unit was established in the epoch of the Navy's active development with the view to improve control of the newest nuclear-powered submarines armed with crucially new weapons. The first division commander was Capt 1 rank Anatoly Sorokin, then promoted to Vice Admiral and Hero of the Soviet Union.

In Feb 1966, first in the Soviet Navy's history, task force of nuclear submarines headed by Rear Admiral Anatoly Sorokin performed round-the-world cruise without surfacing. Submariners had covered over 25,000 miles in 1.5 months.

Many times the division was the best unit in the Navy. On Feb 23, 1978 it was awarded the Red Banner Order for successful combat training and effective technology insertion.

Through 50 years, submariners of the division have accomplished hundreds of combat cruises and patrols, mastered submarines of 9 projects and 8 types of missile systems. Currently, they familiarize with the tenth project – SSBN Yury Dolgoruky armed with solid-propellant ballistic missile Bulava.

Many submariners served in the division has achieved top ranks and posts, and obtained high awards. The brilliant example is Western Military District Chief of Staff Admiral Nikolai Maksimov, who used to head the division since 1996 till 1998. In Feb 2011, President Medvedev decorated Capt 1 rank Alexander Moiseyev with the golden star titling him the Hero of Russia. Moiseyev has passed his service path from group officer in a nuclear sub to the division commander.

Submarines of the division have set up a number of world records in missile firings. Among them was a unique Operation Begemot – underwater launch of 16 ballistic missiles carried out by the crew of SSBN Novomoskovsk 20 years ago, in Aug 1991.