Fregattenkapitän

This article is about the 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.
Fregattenkapitän
Rank insignia German officer rank
Introduction
Rank group Commissioned officers
NavyFregattenkapitän
Army / Air Force Oberstleutnant
NATO
equivalent
OF-4
ArmyLieutenant colonel
NavyCommander

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)
Oberstleutnant

senior rank
Kapitän zur See

See also:

Volksmarine

Volksmarine
shoulder strap
sleeve lace
Fregattenkapitän

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

(NPA rank)
Fregattenkapitän
senior rank
Kapitän zur See

⇒ see main article Ranks of the Volksmarine

Imperial German Navy and Kriegsmarine

Kriegsmarine
shoulder strap
sleeve lace
Fregattenkapitän

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

References

  1. official rank table of the German Navy
  2. STANAG 2116