The

rank Rank is the relative position, value, worth, complexity, power, importance, authority, level, etc. of a person or object within a ranking, such as: Level or position in a hierarchical organization * Academic rank * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy * H ...

insignia of the

French Navy The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...

(french: Marine Nationale) are worn on shoulder straps of shirts and white jackets, and on sleeves for navy jackets and mantels. Until 2005, only

commissioned officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...

s had an anchor on their insignia, but

enlisted personnel An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or warrant officers, except in United States m ...

are now receiving them as well. Although the names of the ranks for superior officers contain the word "Capitaine" (''Capitaine de corvette'', ''Capitaine de frégate'' and ''Capitaine de vaisseau''), the appropriate style to address them is "Commandant", "Capitaine" referring to "lieutenant de vaisseau", which is translated as lieutenant. The two highest ranks, ''Vice-amiral d'escadre'' and ''Amiral'' (

Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

), are functions, rather than ranks. They are assumed by officers ranking ''Vice-Amiral'' ( Vice-Admiral). The rank of Vice-Admiral of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

(french: Vice-Amiral) was formerly designated as Lieutenant-General of the Naval Armies until 1791, such as in the Levant Fleet and

Flotte du Ponant The ''Flotte du Ponant'' was the designation under the Ancien Regime for the naval vessels of the Royal French Navy in the English Channel, Atlantic Ocean and Americas, the latter principally in the French West Indies and New France. The fleet ca ...

of the Ancien Régime.

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

of the

has a similar history to that of the former Lieutenant-General of the Naval Armies. The only ''Amiral de la Flotte'' ( Admiral of the Fleet) was

François Darlan Jean Louis Xavier François Darlan (7 August 1881 – 24 December 1942) was a French admiral and political figure. Born in Nérac, Darlan graduated from the ''École navale'' in 1902 and quickly advanced through the ranks following his service d ...

after he was refused the dignity of

Admiral of France Admiral of France (french: Amiral de France) is a French title of honour. It is the naval equivalent of Marshal of France and was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France. History The title was created in 1270 by Louis IX of France, du ...

. Equivalent to the dignity of

Marshal of France Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1 ...

, the rank of Admiral of France remains theoretical in the Fifth Republic; it was last granted in 1869, during the

Second Empire Second Empire may refer to: * Second British Empire, used by some historians to describe the British Empire after 1783 * Second Bulgarian Empire (1185–1396) * Second French Empire (1852–1870) ** Second Empire architecture, an architectural styl ...

, but retained during the Third Republic until the death of its bearer in 1873. The title of ''Amiral de la Flotte'' was created so that Darlan would not have an inferior rank to that of his counterpart in the British

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

, who was an Admiral of the Fleet.

Insignia

The insignia below depict the configuration on shoulder boards. Shoulder straps are slightly different, notably without the golden frame for general officers.

Great officers

File:French Navy NG-OF10.svg, '' Amiral de France''
(

Grand Admiral Grand admiral is a historic naval rank, the highest rank in the several European navies that used it. It is best known for its use in Germany as . A comparable rank in modern navies is that of admiral of the fleet. Grand admirals in individual n ...

or Admiral of France)

Officers

''Officiers généraux'' — Flag officers

''Officiers supérieurs'' — Senior officers

''Officiers subalternes'' — Junior officers

Warrant, Petty Officers and Enlisted Personnel

''Officiers mariniers'' — Warrant and Petty Officers

''Matelots et quartiers-maîtres'' — Sailors and quarter-masters

Attributions

Personnel with a particular attribution may wear distinctive features on their rank insignia. For instance, medical officers bear two red stripes on their insignia. Similarly, the '' Ingénieur des études et techniques de travaux maritimes'' wear pearl-grey stripes.

Peintres de la Marine Peintre is a commune in the Jura department in Franche-Comté in eastern France. Peintre or Peintres may also refer to: *Peintre Celebre (foaled 1994), thoroughbred racehorse *Peintre-graveur, an artisan who creates original works in engravings * ...

, who are not employed by the navy but have a special status, wear a uniform and officer straps with rank insignia replaced with the words "''Peintre officiel''". File:French Navy-Rama NG-OF5.svg, ''

Capitaine de vaisseau Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The rank is equal to the army rank of colonel and air force rank of group captain. Equivalent ranks worldwide includ ...

Captain of the Vessel (

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

)'' File:French Navy-Rama NG-OF5-toubib.svg, Chief Surgeon First Class File:French Navy-Rama ing en chef 1.svg, Chief engineer first class File:French Navy-Peintre de la Marine.svg,

Peintre de la Marine Peintre de la Marine (''Painter of the Fleet'') is a title awarded by the minister of defence in France to artists who have devoted their talents to the sea, the French Navy and other maritime subjects. It was set up in 1830 by the July Monarchy an ...

File:French Navy-Rama NG-supply-OF5.svg, Chief War Commissar First Class

Military chaplains

Ranks formerly used in the Navy

* ''Vice-amiral de France'' (''Vice Admiral of France'') * ''

Lieutenant général des armées navales Lieutenant général des Armées navales was a naval rank in the French Navy during the ancien Régime and until the French Revolution. History Cardinal Mazarin created the rank of Lieutenant général des Armées navales in 1652, as an immediate ...

'' * ''

Chef d'escadre ''Chef d'escadre'' (; literally " squadron commander") was a rank in the French Navy during the Ancien Régime and until the French Revolution. The rank was changed to '' contre-amiral'' by a law passed on 15 May 1791. History The first chefs ...

'' * ''

Brigadier des armées navales Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...

'' and ''Chef de division'' * ''Major de vaisseau'' * ''Capitaine de vaisseau et de port'' * ''Lieutenant de vaisseau et de port'' * ''Capitaine de brûlot'' * ''Lieutenant de frégate'' * ''Capitaine de flûte'' * ''Sous-lieutenant de vaisseau'' * ''Sous-lieutenant de port'' * ''

Enseigne de vaisseau non entretenu ''Enseigne de vaisseau non entretenu'' (literally: "Ensign without a salary") was a junior naval rank in the French Navy during the Revolutionary Wars. The duties of an ''Enseigne de vaisseau non entretenu'' were the same as those of an ''enseign ...

'' * ''Élèves de la Marine'' * ''

Garde de la marine In France, under the Ancien Régime, the Gardes de la Marine (Guards of the Navy), or Gardes-Marine were young gentlemen undergoing training to be naval officers. The training program was established by Cardinal Richelieu in 1670 and lasted until A ...

'' * ''Maître amiral'' * ''Maître vice-amiral'' * ''Contre maître'' * ''Aide pilote'' * ''Second maître appelés'' * ''Second maître de 1re classe'' * ''Second maître de 2e classe'' * ''Quartier-maitre-chef de carrière''

References

{{Military ranks by country * Military ranks of France French Navy Ranks