Somali Navy

The Somali Navy was founded in 1965 with the help of Soviet military advisers. Its mandate was the protection of Somali waters, including its economic exclusive zone. It had its bases in Berbera, on the Gulf of Aden and Kismayo on the Indian Ocean near the border with Kenya. It also operated a radar facility in Merca.[1] Its inventory consisted of Soviet-made patrol craft.[1] In 1977, Siad Barre terminated the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with Moscow and expelled all Soviet military advisers from Somalia due to their intervention in the Ogaden War.[2]

In 1990 the naval inventory included two Soviet Osa-II missile-armed fast attack craft, four Soviet Mol PFT torpedo-armed fast attack craft, and several patrol craft.[3] The navy also possessed a Soviet Polnocny-class landing ship capable of carrying five tanks and 120 soldiers, and four smaller landing craft.

The Navy dissolved as Barre's regime fell in 1990-91; there are reports that some vessels took refuge in Aden.[4]

Somali Navy personnel wear camouflage uniforms but with black shoulder boards to identify them as Navy men. They also wear black berets to identify them as such, their service uniform is white, and they traditionally wear black ties alongside a white blazer, shirt, trousers, belts and if their rank allows, golden laces on their dress uniforms and black laces on their regular service dress and black gorget patches with more golden ornate design for flag officers and black formal shoes, however in more recent years, a high collar variant is worn by more junior officers who graduate from Camp TURKSOM's Navy Academy, also Rear Admirals and Commodore Admirals may have a red stripe at the bottom of their shoulder boards (similarly to those in the Yemeni Navy) to identify them as staff officers,[16] also the Navy also utilises sleeve rank insignia.[17] There is also khaki uniforms utilised by the Navy with them retaining the black shoulder boards, lace and berets, although officers may wear a peaked cap.[18]

Ranks

Main article: Military ranks of Somalia

Officers

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Somali Navy	No equivalent																								Unknown
							Rear Admiral Admiraal Gaas		Commodore Admiral Admiraal Guuto		Captain Gashaanle Sare		Commander Gashaanle Dhexe		Lieutenant Commander Gashaanle		Lieutenant Dhamme		Sub Lieutenant Laba Xídígle			Ensign Xídígle

Enlisted

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Somali Navy																	No equivalent												No insignia
	Chief Warrant Officer Musharax Sarkaal			Warrant Officer Class 3 Sadex Xarígle			Warrant Officer Class 2 Laba Xarígle		Warrant Officer Class 1 Xarígle		Petty officer, first class Sadex Alífle												Petty officer, second class Laba Alífle				Leading seaman Alífle		Seaman Dable