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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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 (army) 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 ranks between countries) the codes still provide a useful gauge in determining what ranks are broadly equivalent.
These are the highest ranks. Promotion to a rank above OF-10 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 the former 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). The Royal New Zealand Navy ranks of Admiral and Vice-Admiral are generally only used in times of war.
| Country | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | Admiral | Nënadmiral | Kundëradmiral | ||
| Argentina | Almirante | Vicealmirante | Contraalmirante | ||
| Australia | Admiral of the fleet | Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Commodore |
| Belgium | Admiraal (in Dutch) amiral (in French) |
Vice-admiraal (in Dutch) vice-amiral (in French) |
Divisieadmiraal (in Dutch) amiral de division (in French) |
Flottieljeadmiraal (in Dutch) amiral de flottille (in French) |
|
| Brazil | Almirante | Almirante-de-esquadra | Vice-almirante | Contra-almirante | |
| Bulgaria | Admiral na flota | Admiral | Viceadmiral | Kontraadmiral | Brigaden admiral |
| Canada | Admiral (in English) amiral (in French) |
Vice-admiral (in English) vice-amiral (in French) |
Rear-admiral (in English) contre-amiral (in French) |
Commodore (in English) commodore (in French) |
|
| Chile | Almirante | Vicealmirante | Contralmirante | Comodoro | |
| China | Shang jiang （上將） | Zhong jiang （中將） | Shao jiang （少將） | Da xiao （大校） | |
| Croatia | Admiral flote | Admiral | Viceadmiral | Kontraadmiral | Komodor |
| Denmark | Admiral | Viceadmiral | Kontreadmiral | Flottilleadmiral | |
| Finland | Amiraali (in Finnish) Amiral (in Swedish) |
Vara-amiraali (in Finnish) Viceamiral (in Swedish) |
Kontra-amiraali (in Finnish) Konteramiral (in Swedish) |
Lippueamiraali (in Finnish) Flottiljamiral (in Swedish) (literally: Flotilla admiral) |
|
| France | amiral de France | amiral | vice-amiral d'escadre | cice-amiral | contre-amiral |
| Germany | Admiral | Vizeadmiral | Konteradmiral | Flottillenadmiral | |
| German Empire | Großadmiral, Generaladmiral | Admiral | Vizeadmiral | Konteradmiral | Kapitän zur See im Range eines Kommodore |
| Greece | Αρχιναύαρχος (Archinavarchos)¹ | Ναύαρχος (Navarchos) | Αντιναύαρχος (Antinavarchos) | Υποναύαρχος (Hyponavarchos) | Αρχιπλοίαρχος (Archiploiarchos) |
| Indonesia | Laksamana Besar (literally: Grand Admiral) |
Laksamana | Laksamana Madya | Laksamana Muda | Laksamana Pertama |
| Israel | Rav-aluf | Aluf | Tat-aluf | ||
| Italy | ammiraglio | ammiraglio di squadra con incarichi speciali |
ammiraglio di squadra
ammiraglio ispettore capo |
ammiraglio di divisione
ammiraglio ispettore |
contrammiraglio |
| Imperial Japanese Navy | Kaigun Gensui | Kaigun Taisho | Kaigun Chujo | Kaigun Shosho | |
| Japan Maritime Self Defense Force | Kaijyo-Bakuryoutyo taru Kaisyo | Kaisyo | Kaisyo-ho | ||
| Latvia | Admirālis | Viceadmirālis | Kontradmirālis | Flotiles admirālis | |
| Malaysia | Laksamana Armada (literally: Admiral of the fleet) |
Laksamana | Laksamana Madya | Laksamana Muda | Laksamana Pertama |
| Mexico | Secretario de Marina | Almirante | Vicealmirante | Contralmirante | Capitan de navio |
| Netherlands | Admiraal | Luitenant-admiraal | Vice-admiraal | Schout-bij-nacht | Commandeur |
| New Zealand | Admiral of the fleet | Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Commodore |
| Nigeria | Admiral of the fleet | Admiral | Vice-admiral | Rear-admiral | Commodore |
| Norway | Admiral | Viseadmiral | Kontreadmiral | Flaggkommandør | |
| Philippines | Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Commodore | |
| Poland | Admirał
Admirał floty[1] |
Wiceadmirał | Kontradmirał | ||
| Portugal | Almirante da Armada | Almirante | Vice-almirante | Contra-almirante | Comodoro |
| Russia | Адмирал флота (Admiral flota) |
Адмирал (Admiral) |
Вице-адмирал (Vitse-admiral) |
Контр-адмирал (Kontr-admiral) |
- |
| Singapore | Vice admiral | Rear admiral (two stars) |
Rear admiral (one star) |
||
| South Africa | Admiral Admiraal (in Afrikaans) |
Vice admiral Vise-admiraal (in Afrikaans) |
Rear admiral Skout-admiraal (in Afrikaans) |
Rear admiral (junior grade) Skout-admiraal (JR) (in Afrikaans) |
|
| Soviet Union | Адмирал флота Советского Союза (Admiral flota Sovietskogo Soyuza) Адмирал флота |
Адмирал (Admiral) |
Вице-адмирал (Vitse-admiral) |
Контр-адмирал (Kontr-admiral) |
- |
| Spain | Capitán general | Almirante general | Almirante | Vicealmirante | Contraalmirante |
| Sweden | - | Amiral | Viceamiral | Konteramiral | Flottiljamiral[2] (literally: Flotilla admiral) |
| Thailand | Chom Phon Ruea (Admiral of the fleet) |
Phon Ruea Ek (Admiral) |
Phon Ruea Tho (Vice admiral) |
Phon Ruea Tri (Rear admiral) |
Nawa Ek Phiset (Special captain) |
| Turkey | Büyük amiral | Deniz kuvvetleri komutanı
Oramiral |
Koramiral | Tümamiral | Tuğamiral |
| United Kingdom | Admiral of the fleet | Admiral | Vice-admiral | Rear-admiral | Commodore (not actually a flag officer) |
| United States | Fleet admiral | Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral (upper half) |
Rear admiral (lower half) |
| Ukraine | Admiral | Vice-admiral | Kontr-admiral | ||
| Country | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 |
In most navies, Captain is the common address to commanding officers of a naval ship, regardless of their actual rank. As a rank, naval ranks of captain are almost always senior to army captains. An exception is the Republic of Singapore Navy, where "captain" refers to the same rank in the navy as in the army. In many navies, the concepts of army captain and ship's lieutenant are merged into the rank of "captain-lieutenant". Examples of this are Germany, Russia, Portugal, Denmark and Norway.
Common rank titles used are:
Many naval rank systems ultimately derive from either British, French or Spanish naval usage.
Generally speaking, naval ranks systems derived from French and Spanish usage use the names of different classes of ship (corvette, frigate, ship-of-the-line) in their rank titles. This is also the case in some other navies, e.g. two German naval ranks, those of "Corvette Captain" and "Frigate Captain".
Naval rank systems derived from British usage use the rank "captain" exclusively for the highest rank of ship's captain (i.e. of the largest class of ship) and use the rank "lieutenant" exclusively for the highest rank of ship's lieutenant (i.e. of the largest class of ship). In such navies, the captains and lieutenants of smaller ships are therefore unlikely to have the naval rank of "captain" or "lieutenant" respectively; and furthermore a naval "captain" is therefore equivalent to an army colonel, and a naval "lieutenant" to an army captain.
| Country | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | Kapitan i Rangut të Parë | Kapitan i Rangut të Dytë | Kapitan i Rangut te Tretë | Kapitan Lejtnant | Lejtnant | Nënlejtnant | |
| Argentina | Capitán de navío | Capitán de fragata | Capitán de corbeta | Teniente de navío | Teniente de fragata | Teniente de corbeta | Guardiamarina |
| Australia | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant Commander | Lieutenant | Sub Lieutenant | Acting Sub Lieutenant | Midshipman |
| Austro-Hungarian Empire | Linienschiffskapitän | Fregattenkapitän | Korvettenkapitän | Linienschiffsleutnant | Fregattenleutnant | Korvettenleutnant | |
| Belgium | Kapitein-ter-zee Capitaine de vaisseau |
Fregatkapitein Capitaine de frégate |
Korvetkapitein Capitaine de corvette Luitenant-ter-zee 1ste klasse |
Luitenant-ter-zee Lieutenant de vaisseau |
Vaandrig-ter-zee Enseigne de vaisseau |
Vaandrig-ter-zee 2de klasse Enseigne de vaisseau de 2ème classe |
|
| Brazil | Capitão-de-Mar-e-Guerra | Capitão-de-Fragata | Capitão-de-Corveta | Capitão-Tenente | Primeiro-Tenente | Segundo-Tenente | Guarda-Marinha |
| Bulgaria | Kapitan pyrvi rang | Kapitan vtori rang | Kapitan treti rang | Kapitan-lejtenant | Starshi lejtenant | Lejtenant | Mladshi lejtenant |
| Canada | Captain capitaine de vaisseau |
Commander capitaine de frégate |
Lieutenant-Commander capitaine de corvette |
Lieutenant lieutenant de vaisseau |
Sub-Lieutenant enseigne de vaisseau de 1re class |
Acting Sub-Lieutenant enseigne de vaisseau de 2e classe |
Naval Cadet Aspirant de marine |
| Chile | Capitan de Navio | Capitan de Fragata | Capitan de Corbeta | Teniente Primero | Teniente Segundo | Subteniente | Guardiamarina |
| China | Shang Xiao （上校） | Zhong Xiao （中校） | Shao Xiao （少校） | Shang Wei （上尉） | Zhong Wei （中尉） | Shao Wei （少尉） | Xue Yuan （學員） |
| Croatia | Kapetan bojnog broda | Kapetan fregate | Kapetan korvete | Poručnik bojnog broda | Poručnik fregate | Poručnik korvete | |
| Denmark | Kommandør | Kommandør-kaptajn | Orlogskaptajn | Kaptajnløjtnant | Premierløjtnant | Løjtnant | |
| Finland | Kommodori Kommodor |
Komentaja Kommendör |
Komentajakapteeni Kommendörkapten |
Kapteeniluutnantti Kaptenlöjtnant Yliluutnantti |
Luutnantti Löjtnant |
Aliluutnantti Underlöjtnant |
|
| France | Capitaine de Vaisseau | Capitaine de Frégate | Capitaine de Corvette | Lieutenant de Vaisseau | Enseigne de Vaisseau de 1ère Classe | Enseigne de Vaisseau de 2ème Classe | Aspirant |
| 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 | |
| Greece | Πλοίαρχος (Ploiarchos) | Αντιπλοίαρχος (Antiploiarchos) | Πλωτάρχης (Plotarchis) | Υποπλοίαρχος (Hypoploiarchos) | Ανθυποπλοίαρχος (Anthypoploiarchos) | Σημαιοφόρος (Simeoforos) | |
| Indonesia | Kolonel | Letnan Kolonel | Mayor | Kapten | Letnan Satu | Letnan Dua | |
| 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
Aspirante Guardiamarina |
| Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy) | Daisa (大佐) | Chūsa (中佐) | Shōsa (少佐) | Taii (大尉) | Chūi (中尉) | Shōi (少尉) | Shōi-Kouhosei (少尉候補生) |
| Japan (Japan Maritime Self Defense Force) | Ittou-kaisa (1等海佐) | Nitou-kaisa (2等海佐) | Santou-kaisa (3等海佐) | Ittou-kaii (1等海尉) | Nitou-kaii (2等海尉) | Santou-kaii (3等海尉) | kanbu-kouhosei (幹部候補生) |
| Latvia | Jūras kapteinis | Komandkapteinis | Komandleitnants | Kapteiņleitnants | Virsleitnants | Leitnants | |
| Lithuania | Jūrų kapitonas | Komandoras | Komandoras leitenantas | Kapitonas leitenantas | Vyresnysis leitenantas | Leitenantas | |
| Malaysia | Kapten | Komander | Leftenan Komander | Leftenan | Leftenan Madya | Leftenan Muda | Pegawai Kadet Kanan |
| Mexico | Capitán de Fragata | Capitán de Corbeta | Teniente de Navio | Teniente de Fragata | Teniente de Corbeta | Guardiamarina o 1er Maestre | Cadete |
| 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 | Adelborst |
| New Zealand | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant Commander | Lieutenant | Sub Lieutenant | Ensign | Midshipman |
| Nigeria | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant-Commander | Lieutenant | Sub-Lieutenant | Acting Sub-Lieutenant | Midshipman |
| Norway | Kommandør | Kommandørkaptein | Orlogskaptein | Kapteinløytnant | Løytnant | Fenrik | Kadett |
| Philippines | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant Commander | Lieutenant, senior grade | Lieutenant, junior grade | Ensign | Cadet (PMA) |
| Poland | Komandor | Komandor porucznik | Komandor podporucznik | Kapitan marynarki | Porucznik marynarki | Podporucznik marynarki | |
| Portugal | Capitão-de-Mar-e-Guerra | Capitão-de-Fragata | Capitão-Tenente | Primeiro-Tenente | Segundo-Tenente | Guarda-Marinha/Subtenente | Aspirante |
| 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 | Midshipman |
| South Africa | Captain Kaptein |
Commander Kommandeur |
Lieutenant Commander Luitenant-Kommandeur |
Lieutenant Luitenant |
Sub-Lieutenant Onderluitenant |
Ensign Vaandrig |
Midshipman |
| Soviet Union | Kapitan pervogo ranga | Kapitan vtorogo ranga | Kapitan tret'yego ranga | Kapitan-leytenant | Starshiy leytenant | Leytenant | Mladshiy leytenant |
| Spain | Capitán de navío | Capitán de fragata | Capitán de corbeta | Teniente de navío | Alférez de navío | Alférez de fragata | Guardiamarina |
| Sweden | Kommendör 1. graden² Kommendör |
Kommendörkapten | Örlogskapten | Kapten | Löjtnant | Fänrik | |
| Thailand | Nawa Ek (Captain) | Nawa Tho (Commander) | Nawa Tri (Lieutenant Commander) | Ruea Ek (Lieutenant) | Ruea Tho (Lieutenant Junior Grade) | Ruea Tri (Sub-Lieutenant) | |
| Turkey | Albay | Yarbay | Binbaşı | Yüzbaşı | Üsteğmen | Teğmen | Asteğmen |
| United Kingdom | Commodore Captain |
Commander | Lieutenant-Commander | Lieutenant | Sub-Lieutenant | Acting Sub-Lieutenant | Midshipman |
| United States | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant Commander | Lieutenant | Lieutenant, junior grade | Ensign | Midshipman |
| Ukraine | Kapitan I Ranhu | Kapitan II Ranhu | Kapitan III Ranhu | Kapitan-Leitenant | Starshyi Leitenant | Leitenant | Molodshyi Leitenant |
| Country | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | ||
² Promotion to the rank of Kommendör 1. graden ceased on 1 July 2000, when the new junior flag rank of Flottiljamiral was introduced.