August 5 is the Day of the Azerbaijani Navy.
The Azerbaijan Navy was established in 1919 during the Azerbaijan People’s Republic.
Thus, when the British left Baku in the summer of 1919, they handed over the management of the city port and part of the warships to the Azerbaijani government. The Azerbaijan Caspian Navy was formed based on these ships. This measure of the government of Azerbaijan was an important step in the protection of the sea borders of the country.
At the end of 1919, the Azerbaijani military mission headed by General Ibrahim Agha Usubov bought 6 single-gun destroyers, 12 destroyers, 6 submarines, 92 naval guns, 10 coastal guns, wireless telegraph equipment, etc. for the fleet from abroad.
Azernews informs, referring to Report that the Government of Azerbaijan invited Islamov, the admiral of the Russian fleet, a participant in the expedition to the North Pole, of Turkish origin, to Azerbaijan in the summer of 1919 to help in the creation of the national navy. The command of the warships “Astrabad”, “Kars” and “Ardahan” was assigned to Azerbaijani captains.
Plans to strengthen the logistics and personnel base of the military fleet remained unimplemented as a result of the April invasion. Soon after, with the arrival of the Bolsheviks, the Azerbaijani navy was abolished.
After the collapse of the USSR, the conditions for the organization of the naval fleet were created in Azerbaijan. On April 7, 1992, the Headquarters of the Naval Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan, protection and security company was established. 25% of the Caspian Navy and the Higher Naval School were handed over to the Republic of Azerbaijan.
On June 26, 1992, the national flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan was raised on the guard ship “Bakili”. By the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers dated July 15, 1996, the Azerbaijan State Maritime Academy was established on the basis of the Baku Maritime School as a new direction of Azerbaijani education.
According to the Decree signed by National Leader Heydar Aliyev in 1996, August 5 is celebrated as the Navy Day in the country.
