Fregattenkapitän
German Marine “Fregattenkapitän” OF-4. For the equivalent US 
naval rank, see Commander. For the use of this rank in other countries, see Frigate captain. | ||||
| ||||
| Rank insignia | German officer rank | |||
| Introduction | ||||
| Rank group | Commissioned officers | |||
| Navy | Fregattenkapitän | |||
| Army / Air Force | Oberstleutnant | |||
| NATO equivalent | OF-4 | |||
| Army | Lieutenant colonel | |||
| Navy | Commander | |||
Fregattenkapitän, short: FKpt / in lists: FK, (English: Frigate captain) is the middle senior officer rank (German: Stabsoffizier Rang) in the German Navy[1] / armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr).
Address
The official manner, in line to ZDv 10/8, of formal addressing of military people with the rank Fregattenkapitän (OF-4) is “Herr/Frau Fregattenkapitän“. However, as to German naval traditions the “Fregattenkapitän“ will be addressed „Herr/Frau Kapitän“, often in line to seamen´s language „Herr/Frau Kap'tän“.
Rank insignia and rating
Rank insignia Fregattenkapitän, worn on the sleeves and shoulders, are one five-pointed star above three stripes and a halfe stripe between stripe two and one (or rings on sleeves; without the star when rank loops are worn).
The rank is rated OF-4a[2] in NATO, and equivalent to Oberstleutnant in Heer, and Luftwaffe. It is grade A14 in the pay rules of the Federal Ministry of Defence and is senior to the OF-3 rank of Korvettenkapitän.
 German Navy officer rank | ||
| junior rank Korvettenkapitän |
Fregattenkapitän (Flotillenarzt) |
senior rank Kapitän zur See |
See also:
Volksmarine
Fregattenkapitän was in the Volksmarine of the GDR the middle grade of the senior officer´s rank group, comparable to NATO-rank code OF-4 as well. It was comparable to Oberstleutnant of the NPA Land Force and Air Force.
The rank insignia consisted of shoulder strap and sleeve stripes. Shoulder straps had to be worn on uniform jackets and consisted of twisted of silver-braids with two gold pips (stars) on padding in navy blue weapon color.
Cuff insignia consisted of four stripes, and a five-point naval star above. In contradiction to Imperial-German Navy tradition, where sleeve rings encircled the lower cuffs, the Volksmarine cuff strips formed 40 % rings.
| junior rank Korvettenkapitän |
.svg.png){kind=small} (NPA rank) Fregattenkapitän |
senior rank Kapitän zur See |
⇒ see main article Ranks of the Volksmarine
Imperial German Navy and Kriegsmarine
In the Imperial German Navy and Kriegsmarine the "Fregattenkapitän" was the middle officer rank of the senior officer´s rank group. The rank insignia consisted of shoulder strap and sleeve stripes. Shoulder straps had to be worn on uniform jackets and consisted of twisted silver-braids with one gold pip (star) on padding in navy blue weapon color.
Cuff insignia consisted of three stripes, one half stripe (half stripe between stripe two and three), and a five-point naval star above. The sleeve rings encircled the lower cuffs.
| junior rank Korvettenkapitän |
 (Ranks Kriegsmarine) Fregattenkapitän |
senior rank Kapitän zur See |
⇒ see main article Ranks of the Kriegsmarine