Merited Military Navigator of the USSR

The Honorary Title "Merited Military Navigator of the USSR" (Заслуженный военный штурман СССР) was a state military award of the Soviet Union established on January 26, 1965 by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet № 3230-VI to recognise and reward excellence in military aviation. It was abolished on August 22, 1988 by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet № 9441-XI.

Award Statute
The honorary title "Merited Military Navigator of the USSR" was awarded to members of military flying units, military agencies, military schools, military organizations and other military or federal authorities, having qualified military navigators 1st class or military navigator-instructors 1st class, for outstanding achievements in the development of aviation technology, high performance in education and training of flight personnel and long-term trouble-free flight operations in military aviation.

The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was the main conferring authority of the award based on recommendations from the Ministry of Defence of the USSR.

The chest badge "Merited Military Navigator of the USSR" was worn on the right side of the chest and in the presence of other orders, placed over them. If worn with honorary titles of the Russian Federation, the latter have precedence.

Award Description
The "Merited Military Navigator of the USSR" chest badge was a 27mm wide by 23mm high silver and nickel polygon with raised edges. At the top of the obverse, the relief inscription in three lines covered to the left "MERITED MILITARY NAVIGATOR" (ЗАСЛУЖЕННЫЙ ВОЕННЫЙ ШТУРМАН), in the center, the gilt tombac image of a jet plane climbing diagonally towards the right its nose and tail slightly protruding over the edges, at the bottom, the relief inscription "USSR" (СССР) superimposed over a laurel branch.

The badge was secured to a standard Soviet square mount by a silver-plated ring through the suspension loop. The mount was covered by a silk moiré red ribbon.

Notable Recipients (partial list)

 * Lieutenant General Vladimir Bulanov
 * Major General Evgeny Ivanovich Kabanov
 * Major General Mikhaïl Afanas'evich Lachin
 * Lieutenant General Viktor Lavsky
 * Colonel Grigory Malashenkov
 * Major General Fyodor Yalov