Naval officer ranks

Navies have military rank systems that often are quite different from those of armies or air forces. Sometimes, services that are considered parts of the navy – marine or amphibious corps – use the army-style ranks instead, while the ranks listed here are reserved for fleets.

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NATO Rank Codes

To assist in the comparison of ranks in the armed forces of different countries, established NATO rank codes are used. These are established codes for determining the seniority of officer and other ranks in NATO countries for a particular joint task group or command structure, although specific appointments designate a higher level of seniority over other equivalent rank codes in a given situation. Officer ranks go from OF-1 (applying to all subaltern officers below captain) up to OF-10; OF(D) being a special category for trainee officers awaiting a commission. Other Ranks (those considered enlisted men in the United States forces) are classified from OR-1 to OR-9. Warrant Officers in the United States forces are a special case as single track career specialists between the enlisted and officer ranks in terms of seniority, and have no NATO rank code. The system should not be confused with the pay grades used in the US military. While countries outside the NATO command structure (including some NATO member countries such as France) do not strictly fall into this classification structure and there may be incidences of overlap (particularly in OR ranks between countries) the codes still provide a useful gauge in determining what ranks are broadly equivalent

Flag Officers

These are the highest ranks. Promotion to a rank above OF-9 is now rare and usually reserved for wartime. Fleet Admiral is an example of such a rank.

Note that there is doubt about rank equivalency in countries that have Fleet Admirals but no Commodores, such as German Empire and Russia - often it is considered that in these countries a Fleet Admiral equates to an OF-9 rank, an Admiral to OF-8, a Vice Admiral to OF-7, and a Counter/Rear Admiral to OF-6 (i.e. the ranks all move down one grade).

Country OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6
Albania   Admiral Nënadmiral Kunderadmiral  
Argentina   Almirante Vicealmirante Contraalmirante  
Denmark   Admiral Viceadmiral Kontreadmiral Flottilleadmiral
Finland   Amiraali
Admiral
Vara-amiraali
Viceadmiral
Kontra-amiraali
Konteradmiral
Lippueamiraali
Flottiljadmiral
France   Amiral Vice-Amiral d'Escadre Vice-Amiral Contre-Amiral
Germany   Admiral Vizeadmiral Konteradmiral Flottillenadmiral
German Empire Großadmiral

Generaladmiral

Admiral Vizeadmiral Konteradmiral
Israel     Rav-aluf Aluf Tat-aluf
Italy   Ammiraglio di Squadra con incarichi speciali Ammiraglio di Squadra e Ammiraglio Ispettore Capo Ammiraglio di Divisione e Ammiraglio Ispettore Contrammiraglio
Latvia     Viceadmirālis Kontradmirālis Flatiles admirālis
Mexico   Almirante Vicealmirante Contralmirante  
Netherlands Admiraal der Vloot Luitenant-Admiraal Vice-Admiraal Schout-bij-nacht Commandeur
Norway   Admiral Viseadmiral Kontreadmiral Flaggkommandřr
Poland   Admirał Admirał floty Wiceadmirał Kontradmirał
Portugal Almirante de Armada Almirante Vice-almirante Contra-almirante Comodoro
Russia Admiral flota Admiral Vitse-admiral Kontr-admiral  
Singapore     Vice Admiral Rear Admiral (two star) Rear Admiral (one star)
South Africa   Admiraal Vise-Admiraal Skout-Admiraal Skout-Admiraal (JR)
Spain Capitán general Almirante general Almirante Vicealmirante Contralmirante
Sweden   Amiral Viceamiral Konteramiral Flottiljamiral
United Kingdom and in some other English-speaking Commonwealth countries Admiral of the Fleet Admiral Vice-Admiral Rear-Admiral Commodore
United States Fleet Admiral Admiral Vice Admiral Rear Admiral (UH) Rear Admiral (LH)

Other officers

Captain is the common address to commanders of a naval ship, regardless of his actual rank. As a rank, naval Captains are in most services far senior to army Captains, and equivalent to Colonels. An exception is the Swedish Navy, where kapten refers to the same rank as in the army.

Country OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1
Albania Kapitan i Rangut te Pare Kapitan i Rangut te Dyte Kapitan i Rangut te Terte Kapitan Lejtnant Lejtnant Nënlejtnant  
Argentina Capitán de navío Capitán de fragata Capitán de corbeta Teniente de navío Teniente de fragata Teniente de corbeta  
Denmark Kommandřr Kommandřr-kaptajn Orlogskaptajn Kaptajnlřjtnant Premierlřjtnant Lřjtnant  
Finland Kommodori
Kommodor
Komentaja
Kommendör
Komentajakapteeni
Kommendörkapten
Kapteeniluutnantti
Kaptenlöjtnant

Yliluutnantti
Premiärlöjtnant

Luutnantti
Löjtnant
Aliluutnantti
Underlöjtnant
 
France Capitaine de Vaisseau Capitaine de Fregate Capitaine de Corvette Lieutenant de Vaisseau Enseigne de Vaisseau de 1re Classe Enseigne de Vaisseau de 2e Classe  
Germany Kapitän zur See Fregattenkapitän Korvettenkapitän Stabskapitänleutnant

Kapitänleutnant

Oberleutnant zur See Leutnant zur See  
German Empire Kapitän zur See Fregattenkapitän Korvettenkapitän Kapitänleutnant Oberleutnant zur See Leutnant zur See  
Israel Aluf mishne Sgan aluf Rav seren Seren Segen Segen mishne  
Italy Capitano di Vascello Capitano di Fregata Capitano di Corvetta Primo Tenente di Vascello

Tenente di Vascello

Sottotenente di Vascello Guardiamarina  
Latvia Jūras kapteinis Komandkapteinis Komandleitnants Kapteiņleitnants Virsleitnants Leitnants  
Mexico Capitán de Navío Capitán de Fragata Capitán de Corbeta Teniente de Navío Teniente de Corbeta Guardiamarina  
Netherlands Kapitein ter zee Kapitein-Luitenant ter zee Luitenant ter zee der 1e klasse Luitenant ter zee der 2e klasse oudste categorie Luitenant ter zee der 2e klasse Luitenant ter zee der 3e klasse  
Norway Kommandřr Kommandřrkaptein Orlogskaptein Kapteinlřytnant Lřytnant Fenrik  
Poland Komandor Komandor porucznik Komandor podporucznik Kapitan marynarki Porucznik marynarki Podporucznik marynarki  
Portugal Capităo-de-mar-e-guerra Capităo-de-fragat Capităo-tenente Primeiro-tenente Segundo-tenente Guarda-marinha ou Subtenente  
Russia Kapitan pervogo ranga Kapitan vtorogo ranga Kapitan tret'yego ranga Kapitan-leytenant Starshiy leytenant Leytenant  Mladshiy leytenant
Singapore Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second Lieutenant  
South Africa Kaptein Kommandeur Luitenant-Kommandeur Luitenant Onderluitenant Vaandrig  
Spain Capitán de navío Capitán de fragata Capitán de corbeta Teniente de navío Alférez de navío Alférez de fragata  
Sweden Kommendör Kommendörkapten Örlogskapten Kapten Löjtnant Fänrik  
United Kingdom and in some other English-speaking Commonwealth countries Captain Commander Lieutenant-Commander Lieutenant Sub-Lieutenant Acting Sub-Lieutenant  
United States Captain Commander Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant Lieutenant, junior grade Ensign  

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