''Kapitänleutnant'', short: KptLt/in lists: KL, ( en,

captain lieutenant Captain lieutenant or captain-lieutenant is a military rank, used in a number of navies worldwide and formerly in the British Army. Northern Europe Denmark, Norway and Finland The same rank is used in the navies of Denmark (), Norway () and Finl ...

) is an officer grade of the captains' military hierarchy group () of the German

Bundeswehr The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...

. The rank is rated OF-2STANAG 2116
/ref> in

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two N ...

, and equivalent to Hauptmann in the Heer and

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German '' Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the '' Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabt ...

. It is grade A11 or A12 in the pay rules of the Federal Ministry of Defence.

Address

In line with ZDv 10/8, the formal manner of addressing people with the rank ''Kapitänleutnant'' (OF-2) is "Herr/Frau Kapitänleutnant". However, in German tradition and in line with seamen's language, the title is abbreviated to "Herr/Frau Kaleu" in verbal communication (contemporary usage). Historically, in the

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...

, the abbreviation spoken was "Herr Kaleun".

Rank and assignment

The

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

's rank of

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

is equal to ''Kapitänleutnant'' in NATO's military hierarchy (classed as OF-2). However German Navy ''Kapitänleutnant'' might be assigned to the so-called “line officer career” (de: Truppendienstlaufbahn or Truppendienstoffizier) or “officer specialist career” (de: Fachdienstlaufbahn or Fachdienstoffizier, officially: Offizier des militärfachlichen Dienstes). Its rank insignia, worn on the sleeves and shoulders, are one golden five-pointed star above two golden stripes with one half stripes between them (without the star when rank loops are worn).

Line Officer career

A ''Kapitänleutnant'' (line officer) may command smaller ships (e.g. submarine class 206A, minehunter class 332) or serve as principal warfare officer on larger warships, giving the rank responsibilities more along those of a Lieutenant commander in the U.S. or Royal navies. The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows: *OF-5: Kapitän zur See / Oberst *OF-4: Fregattenkapitän / Oberstleutnant *OF-3: Korvettenkapitän / Major *OF-2: Kapitänleutnant / Hauptmann

Officer Specialist career

''Kapitänleutnant'' might be a senior officer specialist rank, comparable to US

warrant officer Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the mo ...

, however, junior to Stabskapitänleutnant. Military people of the “line officer career” skip over the rank ''Stabskapitänleutnant'', by regular promotion from ''Kapitänleutnant'' (OF-2) to Korvettenkapitän (OF-3). The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows: *OF-2a: Stabskapitänleutnant / Stabshauptmann *OF-2b: Kapitänleutnant / Hauptmann *OF-1a:

Oberleutnant zur See ''Oberleutnant zur See'' (''OLt zS'' or ''OLZS'' in the German Navy, ''Oblt.z.S.'' in the '' Kriegsmarine'') is traditionally the highest rank of Lieutenant in the German Navy. It is grouped as OF-1 in NATO. The rank was introduced in the Imp ...

/ Oberleutnant *OF-1b: Leutnant zur See / Leutnant

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kapitanleutnant Naval ranks of Germany