Ranks and insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces 1955–1991

The ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces between 1955 and 1991 were distinguished by the reorganisation of the Soviet armed forces after the death of Stalin, resulting in changes to ranks, insignia, and uniforms.

Changes to distinction insignia

Shoulder straps to field utilization

In December 1956 the coloured border piping on officers' shoulder straps was changed. A cinnamon-brown color was used instead of the burgundy red previously worn by commanders and commanding officers. All other officers and other ranks wore corps colours as follows:

• Motorised & mechanised rifles – raspberry
• Artillery & armored troops – black, red
• Air Force & aviation – blue
• Technical troops of any kind and the navy – black

The regimental numberings of the 1943 system were removed altogether.

Enlisted men, non-commissioned officers, warrant officers, and michman

Army, Air Force

Enlisted men			Non-commissioned officers					Warrant officers
Shoulder boards to service uniform basic (ground forces)
Shoulder boards to service uniform basic (air force & aviation)
Rank designation	Soldier	Corporal	Junior sergeant	Sergeant	Senior sergeant	until 1963 Staff sergeant	from 1964 Staff sergeant	from 1971 Warrant officer	from 1981 Senior warrant officer
	Рядовой	Ефрейтор	Мл. сержант	Сержант	Ст. сержант	Старшина		Прапорщик	Ст. прапорщик
NATO-equivalent	OR-1	OR-2	OR-4	OR-6	OF-7	OR-8		OR-9

Ratings of the Navy, coastal services and other shore commands

Enlisted ratings			Boatswain/ petty officers					Michman
Shoulder boards to service uniform basic
Rating designation (naval services)	Seaman	Leading seaman	Petty officer 2nd class	Petty officer 1st class	Chief petty officer	Michman (until 1955)	Michman (1956-1971) Glavny starshina of the ship (from 1971)	Michman (from 1971)	Starshy michman (from 1981)
	Матрос	Ст. матрос	Старшина 2 статьи	Старшина 1 статьи	Главный старшина	Мичман	Мичман Гл. корабельный старшина	Мичман	Ст. мичман
... (coastal services and other shore commands)	Seaman	Leading seaman	Junior sergeant	Sergeant	Senior sergeant	until 1957 Staff sergeant	from 1958 Staff sergeant	from 1971 Warrant officer	from 1981 Senior warrant officer
	Матрос	Ст. матрос	Мл. сержант	Сержант	Ст. сержант	Старшина	Старшина	Прапорщик	Ст. прапорщик
NATO-equivalent	OR-1	OR-2	OR-4	OR-6	OF-7	OR-8		OR-9

Letter codes from 1972 onward

• The letter imprint "CA" on army shoulder boards OR1 to OR7^{[Note 1]} stood for "Советская Аpмия (en: Sovetskaya Armiya) " and was the symbol of adherence to the Soviet Army.
• The letter imprint on Soviet navy shoulder boards OR1 to OR7 symbolised the adherence to the appropriate fleet or naval major command.^[1]
  • Ф – Fleet (Russian: Флот, Flot), general personnel of the Navy
  • БФ – Baltic Fleet (Балтийский Флот; Baltiski Flot)
  • ЧМ – Black Sea Fleet (Черноморский Флот, Chernomorski Flot)
  • СФ – Northern Fleet (Северный Флот, Severny Flot)
  • ТФ – Pacific Fleet (Тихоокеанский Флот, Tikhookeanski flot)
• Other letter symbols
  • BB – (Внутренние Войска, Vnutrennie Voiska) – Internal Troops
  • ВМУ – (Военно-музыкальное Училище, Voyenno-musykalnoye Utchilishche) – students of military musician schools or cadets of military bands
• ВС – (Вооружённые Силы, Voorushonnye Sily) – armed forces (Soviet Army, later USSR armed forces, also Armed forces of the USSR)
• ГБ – (КГБ, KGB) – KGB
• К – (Курсант, Kursant) – higher military college student
• H – (Нахимовец, Nakhimovez) – cadet in the Nakhimov Naval School
• ПВ – (Пограничные войска, Pogranitshnye voiska) – border troops
• СШ – (Cпециальная школа, Spezialnaya shkola) – special school
• СВУ – (Суворовец, Suvorovez) – cadet at a Suvorov Military School

Army officers and generals (all services)

Designation	Lieutenants			Captain´s rank	Field officers			Higher commanders & commander-in-chief
Shoulder boards to parade uniform land forces (Army)
Air force
Rank designation (Ground and air forces and independent branches)	Junior lieutenant	Lieutenant	Senior lieutenant	Captain	Major	Podpolkovnik	Polkovnik	Major general	Lieutenant general	Colonel general	General of the army until 1974 and after 1974		Marshal of the Soviet Union
	Мл. лейтенант	Лейтенант	Ст. лейтенант	Капитан	Майор	Подполковник	Полковник	Генерал-майор	Генерал-лейтенант	Генерал-полковник	Генерал аpмии		Маршал Советского Союза

Naval officers and flag officers (all services)

Designation	Lieutenants			Captain lieutenants	Staff officers			Flag officers & higher commanders
Shoulder board to parde uniform Navy
Sleeve insignia
Rank designation (naval services)	Junior lieutenant	Lieutenant	Senior lieutenant	Captain lieutenant	Captain 3rd rank	Captain 2nd rank	Captain 1st rank	Rear admiral	Vice admiral	Admiral	Admiral of the fleet (1955-1961) and (1962-1994)		Admiral of the fleet of the Soviet Union (1955-1991)
Младший лейтенант	Лейтенант	Ст. лейтенант	Капитан-лейтенант	Капитан 3-го ранга	Капитан 2-го ранга	Капитан 1-го ранга	Контр-адмирал	Вице-адмирал	Адмирал	Адмирал флота		Адмирал флота Советского Союза
Rank designation (Shore services of the Navy)	Junior lieutenant	Lieutenant	Senior lieutenant	Captain	Major	Lieutenant colonel	Colonel	Major general	Lieutenant general	Colonel general	No equivalent established
	Мл. лейтенант	Лейтенант	Ст. лейтенант	Капитан	Майор	Подполковник	Полковник	Генерал-майор	Генерал-лейтенант	Генерал-полковник
NATO-equivalent	OF-1			OF-2	OF-3	OF-4	OF-5	OF-6	OF-7	OF-8	OF-9		OF-10

Top ranks

Marshal ranks and Supreme commanders of the Soviet armed forces
Shoulder board to dress uniform
Rank designation	Marshal of the branch					Chief marshal of the branch					Marshal of the Soviet Union	Generalissimus of the Soviet Union (no referenced project)
NATO-equivalent	OF-9										OF-10
Supreme commander of the Soviet Navy
Shoulder board to dress uniform	—					—						—
Rank designation	—					—					Admiral of the fleet of the Soviet Union (1955-1991)	—
NATO-equivalent											OF-10

See also

• History of Russian military ranks
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian armed forces until 1917
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Red Army 1918–1935, ... 1935–1940, and ... 1940–1943
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Army 1943–1955
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian Federation´s armed forces 1994–2010

Notes

1. The abbreviation "OR" stands for "other ranks"

References

1. Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 3th edition 1982, order number: 576 973 7, licence number: 433 130/182/82, volume IV, page 128-129 "Rank insignia of the Soviet Navy"