1966 Soviet submarine global circumnavigation

1966 Soviet submarine global circumnavigation
Part of Cold War (1962–1979)
Soviet naval bases and facilities
Type	Submarine operations
Location	World-wide
Planned by	Soviet Navy
Objective	First submerged circumnavigation of the world by nuclear-powered submarine otryad (squadron)
Date	1 February 1966 to 26 March 1966
Executed by	Rear Admiral Anatoly Ivanovich Sorokin, VMF
Outcome	Mission successfully accomplished

The 1966 Soviet submarine global circumnavigation was announced to be the first submerged around-the-world voyage by a group of Soviet nuclear-powered submarines.

The voyage was an early example of blue-water operations by the Soviet Navy's nuclear-powered submarine fleet, and it paved the way for future operations during the latter half of the Cold War. The voyage took place nearly six years after the first complete submerged circumnavigation of the world undertaken by the U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered submarine Triton in 1960.

Technically speaking, this Soviet submerged around-the-world voyage was not a true "circumnavigation" since the submarine group went from the Soviet Northern Fleet in the area of the Kola Peninsula to the Soviet Pacific Fleet base in Kamchatka going around South America and consequently did not go completely around the world as did the USS Triton.

The development of nuclear-powered submarines by the Soviet Navy differed significantly from the approach adopted by the United States Navy. While first generation U.S. Navy nuclear submarines were experimental vessels that could carry out operational missions, the Soviet Navy opted for immediate series production for its Hotel, Echo, and November classes (NATO names), which were known collectively as the HEN classes. While more capable in many respects than early U.S. nuclear submarines, early Soviet nuclear submarines also experienced significant problems with their reactor plants, and remedial action was required to correct these technical deficiencies. Consequently, the Soviet Navy could not deploy any nuclear-powered submarines in support of Operation Anadyr, the Soviet nuclear-armed ballistic missile build-up in Cuba which caused the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

The first submerged circumnavigation by a detachment (Russian: отряд; otryad) of submarines was undertaken by two submarines under the overall command of Rear Admiral Anatoly Ivanovich Sorokin. The detachment departed from the Red Banner Northern Fleet on 1 February 1966. Planning for the mission was credited to Admiral Vladimir Chernavin, the future Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Navy. The detachment's sailing orders from the Main Naval Staff read in part: