Admiral of the fleet
An admiral of the fleet or shortened to fleet admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to Field marshal and Marshal of the air force. An admiral of the fleet is typically senior to an admiral.
Naval officer ranks |
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Flag officers |
Senior officers |
Junior officers |
It is also a generic term for a senior admiral in command of a large group of ships, comprising a fleet or, in some cases, a group of fleets. If actually a rank, its name can vary depending on the country. In addition to "fleet admiral" and "admiral of the fleet", such rank names include "admiral of the navy" and "grand admiral".
Etymology
The title admiral of the fleet can trace its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title was typically granted to a nobleman who was appointed by a monarch to raise and command a navy for a specific campaign.
Usage in specific countries
The following articles contain specific information on the rank as it pertains to individual countries:
- Admiral of the fleet (Australia)
- Admiral flote (Croatia)
- Admiral of the fleet (Russia)
- Admiral of the fleet (Soviet Union)
- Admiral of the fleet (Sri Lanka)
- Chom phon ruea (Thailand)
- Admiral flote (Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
- Admiral of the fleet (United Kingdom)
- Fleet admiral (United States)
- Admiral of the Navy (United States) (1903-1917)
Ambiguity exists when translating the French amiral into English (into admiral of the fleet or admiral). A French title of amiral de la flotte, outranking a full admiral was created in 1939 for Darlan, who was the only person in French history to hold that title. Amiral de la flotte became a rank in 1942, when Darlan was commander in chief of the military forces of the Vichy Regime. The rank of Amiral de la flotte was still mentioned in French laws in 1957.[1]
NATO code
While the rank of admiral of the fleet/fleet admiral is used in some of NATO countries, it is ranked differently depending on the country.
NATO code | Country[2] | English equivalent | |
---|---|---|---|
UK | US | ||
OF-10 | Croatia, Portugal | Admiral of the Fleet | Fleet admiral |
OF-8 | Poland | Vice admiral | Vice admiral |
Gallery
- Admiral of the fleet
(Indian Navy) - Admiral of the Fleet
(Royal Navy)
References
- Le Hunsec, Mathieu (2012-03-15). "L'amiral, cet inconnu". Revue historique des armées (in French) (266): 91–107. ISSN 0035-3299.
- NATO (2021). STANAG 2116 NATO (7th ed.). Brussels, Belgium: NATO Standardization Agency. pp. B-1–B-3.
- "Badges of rank" (PDF). defence.gov.au. Department of Defence (Australia). Retrieved 31 May 2021.
- "Oznake činova". osrh.hr (in Croatian). Republic of Croatia Armed Forces. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- "Pangkat". mafhq.mil.my (in Malay). Malaysian Armed Forces. Archived from the original on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- Smaldone, Joseph P. (1992). "National Security". In Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.). Nigeria: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 296–297. LCCN 92009026. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "Badges of Rank". nzdf.mil.nz. New Zealand Defence Force. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- "Navy Commander calls on Admiral of the Fleet, Wasantha Karannagoda". news.navy.lk. Sri Lanka Navy. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- "TÜRKMENISTANYŇ KANUNY Harby borçlulyk we harby gulluk hakynda (Türkmenistanyň Mejlisiniň Maglumatlary 2010 ý., № 3, 58-nji madda) (Türkmenistanyň 01.10.2011 ý. № 234-IV Kanuny esasynda girizilen üýtgetmeler we goşmaçalar bilen)" [LAW OF TURKMENISTAN On military service and military service (Information of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, 2010, No. 3, Article 58) (as amended by the Law of Turkmenistan of October 1, 2011 No. 234-IV)] (PDF). milligosun.gov.tm (in Turkmen). Ministry of Defense (Turkmenistan). pp. 28–29. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- "U.S. Military Rank Insignia". defense.gov. Department of Defense. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- Francis E. McMurtrie and Raymond V.B. Blackman (editors), Jane's Fighting Ships 1949-50. New York: The McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1949.