Russian PF Celebrates 80-th Anniversary

Pacific Fleet HQ celebrated its 80-th anniversary on March 30. It is the fleet’s main administrative agency with history full of heroic chapters and amazing facts indissolubly connected to development of Russia’s naval power in the Pacific.

Originally, military administrative functions in Russian Navy were performed by “secretariats” and “offices”. Later, headquarters were formed on their basis.

Remarkable fact is that in 1898 Russian main naval base was transferred to Port Arthur which became a basing site for Pacific Squadron. That was Port Arthur where the first Russian naval headquarters in that region was established.

With foundation of Soviet power at the Pacific in 1922, the Far East Maritime Force was formed. Flag Officer 2 Rank Vasily V. Selitrennikov became its first commander.

The second organization of Far East Maritime Force was held in 1932. A headquarters with key naval departments was established at Svetlanskaya Str. 47, Vladivostok.

In 1935, Maritime Force was transformed into Pacific Fleet. New staff structure was introduced as well; number of departments was increased, each one comprised several sections. New positions of flag experts were introduced; scope of tasks performed by headquarters was considerably increased.

During the Great Patriotic War, the fleet command post was founded in the staff structure; it consisted of operational group, communication center, and supply group. Control of the fleet was carried out by the Skala hardened command post.

In the post-war period, Pacific Fleet HQ was changing along with missions, strength, and improvement of control systems. In 1973, the fleet’s headquarters was transferred from Svetlanskaya Str. 47 to a new building at Korabelnaya Embankment; it is located there up to now.

Presently, Pacific Fleet HQ is equipped with advanced infrastructure, open and secure communication systems, and effectively controls the fleet’s forces thanks to professional staff.

In different periods the PF headquarters was headed by admirals Gennady A. Hvatov, Mikhail G. Zakharenko, Viktor D. Fedorov, and current Eastern Military District Commander ADM Konstantin S. Sidenko.

Departments founded along with Pacific Fleet HQ also celebrate the 80-th anniversary: Operations Dept, Organization and Mobilization Dept, Intelligence and Cryptographic Dept, Communications Dept. Totally, about 50 departments and services operate within Pacific Fleet HQ structure. Current Chief of Pacific Fleet HQ is Rear Admiral Sergei I. Avakiants.

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Naval Today Staff , April 01, 2012; Image: mil