5th Squadron
|
5-я оперативная эскадра - naval association in the Mediterranean |
|
|---|---|
| Lineup | 1967 |
| Country |
.svg){kind=small} Soviet Union (1967–1991) Russia (1992)
|
| Armed forces | Armed Forces of the Soviet Union |
| Armed forces | Soviet Navy |
| Type | squadron |
The 5th Squadron (Russian 5-я оперативная эскадра, German 5th operational squadron ) was the naval unit of the Soviet Navy in the Mediterranean . The mixed fleet operated from 1967 with sometimes more than 40 ships in the Mediterranean. The squadron was disbanded on December 31, 1992, one year after the collapse of the Soviet Union .
History and geostrategic classification
The idea of establishing a Mediterranean presence was promoted primarily by the Soviet naval strategist Admiral Sergei Gorshkov . He had been naval commander in chief since the 1950s. The 1967 Six Day War accelerated the understanding on the Soviet side that naval forces should be ready on the coast of the Middle East and off European coasts. In June 1967 the Politburo decided on the Mediterranean Union. Vice Admiral Boris Petrov took over command of all Mediterranean units from July 14, 1967.
Since the outbreak of the Cold War , the Soviet Navy as the strongest sea power in the Warsaw Pact has had a geopolitical interest in being present in the Mediterranean region. Opposite it stood the 6th US fleet in the Mediterranean, subordinate to NATO . In 1968 it consisted of two aircraft carriers, two cruisers and 16 destroyers.
Ships
In 1968 the Soviet Union had twelve to 14 warships in the Mediterranean , including cruisers and destroyers . They were flanked by twelve to 15 supply ships that were permanently stationed in the Mediterranean. The 5th operational squadron included landing ships of the alligator class of the marine infantry .
Bases
The ships originally belonged to the Soviet Black Sea Fleet and initially also used the Egyptian ports of Alexandria and Port Said as logistical bases. Later the Syrian naval base in Tartus became the main base, but ports in Egypt , Algeria and Libya were also used.
Russian Navy in the Mediterranean
The Russian Navy has maintained the operational association of the Russian naval fleet in the Mediterranean since 2013 .
literature
- Jordan, John. Soviet Warships. Soviet Surface Fleet 1960 to the present . Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD 1983. ISBN 0-87021-878-6