ABSTRACT
The Soviet naval high command consists of those authorities who plan and direct the navy's operations and provide for its institutional development. As Gael Donelan Tarleton notes, Soviet command and control is derived from military policy formulations developed by specific Soviet institutions. These bodies establish the concepts and define the terms for Soviet naval command and control. The Soviet political oligarchy possesses multiple lines of authority over the Soviet military. The party's power rests ultimately on the loyalty of the armed forces, and therefore a great deal of effort has gone into ensuring its support. The chapter discusses the national elements of the Soviet command and control structure, in which the navy has a part and by which the navy is controlled. The role of the zampolit has therefore evolved from that of the navy commissar of the Stalin era. However, in party political matters, the Soviets assert that the zampolit's authority has been strengthened.
