Azerbaijani Navy’s historic journey commemorated on August 5.

Axar.az reports that the Azerbaijani Navy was established in 1919 during the period of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

In the summer of 1919, after the British left Baku, the administration of the city’s port and part of the military ships were handed over to the Azerbaijani government. Based on these ships, the Azerbaijani Caspian Naval Fleet was formed. This step by the Azerbaijani government played an important role in protecting the country’s maritime borders.

At the end of 1919, the Azerbaijani military mission led by General Ibrahim Agha Usubov purchased 6 single-gun attack boats, 12 attack boats, 6 submarines, 92 ship cannons, 10 coastal cannons, and wireless telegraph devices from abroad for the fleet.

In the summer of 1919, the Azerbaijani government invited Admiral Islamov of the Russian fleet—who had participated in an expedition to the North Pole and was of Turkish descent—to assist in the creation of the national navy. The command of the military ships “Astrabad,” “Kars,” and “Ardahan” was entrusted to Azerbaijani captains.

However, as a result of the April occupation, plans to strengthen the material-technical base and personnel of the navy could not be implemented. With the arrival of the Bolsheviks, the Azerbaijani Navy was dissolved.

With the collapse of the USSR, conditions emerged for the creation of a naval force in Azerbaijan. On April 7, 1992, the Headquarters of the Azerbaijani Naval Forces, along with a security and logistics company, was established. Twenty-five percent of the Caspian Naval Fleet and the Higher Naval School were placed under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

On June 26, 1992, the national flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan was raised on the guard ship “Bakili.” With the Cabinet of Ministers’ decision on July 15, 1996, the Azerbaijan State Maritime Academy was founded on the basis of the Baku Maritime College to train higher-education-level naval personnel.

With the decree signed by National Leader Heydar Aliyev in 1996, August 5 is celebrated annually as Navy Day in Azerbaijan. This day holds special significance for commemorating the history, achievements, and future prospects of Azerbaijan’s naval forces.