Lieutenant general or lieutenant-general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-9) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a captain general. In modern armies, lieutenant general normally ranks immediately below general and above major general; it is equivalent to the navy rank of vice admiral, and in air forces with a separate rank structure, it is equivalent to air marshal. A lieutenant general commands an army corps, made up of typically three army divisions, and consisting of around 60,000–70,000 soldiers (U.S.). The seeming incongruity that a lieutenant general outranks a major general (whereas a major outranks a lieutenant) is due to the derivation of the former rank from sergeant major general, which was also subordinate to lieutenant general. In some countries (e.g. France and Italy), the ranks of corps general or lieutenant colonel general are used instead of lieutenant general, in an attempt to solve this apparent anomaly – these ranks are often translated into English as lieutenant general. However, some countries of Latin America such as Brazil and Chile use divisional general as the equivalent of lieutenant general. In addition, because no brigadier general rank is used in Japan and Taiwan, lieutenant general is the rank of divisional commander. Therefore, it corresponds to divisional general of these countries. In a number of smaller states which employ NATO and western style military organizational structures, because of the limited number of soldiers in their armies, the rank of lieutenant general is the highest army rank in use. In Latvia, Lithuania and Singapore, the chief of defence is a lieutenant general, and in the Irish Defence Forces and Israel Defense Forces, the Chief of Staff holds this rank.

Lieutenant general ranks by country

* Lieutenant general (Algeria) * Lieutenant general (Australia) * * Lieutenant general (Bangladesh) * ''General-pukovnik'' (Bosnia & Herzegovina) * Lieutenant general (Botswana)http://www.gov.bw/en/Ministries--Authorities/Ministries/State-President/Botswana-Defence-Force-BDF/About-the-BDF1/Ranks-and-Insignia/
* (Brazil) * ("General-leytenant"; Bulgaria) * Lieutenant-general (Canada) * (China and Taiwan) * (Croatia) * (Czech Republic) * (Denmark) * (Estonia) * (Finland) * in the French Armed Forces, including the French Air Force since 1939. Prior officially, for the French Army and Vice-Amiral for the French Navy since 1791, formerly designated as Lieutenant-General of France. (France) * ("general leitenanti") (Georgia) * (Germany) * (Greek Army , vice general) * (Hungary) * Lieutenant General (India) * (Indonesia) * (Iran) * (Republic of Ireland) * (Israel) * (Italy) * (Kosovo) * (Latvia) * (Lithuania) * () (North Macedonia) * (Netherlands) * Lieutenant General (Nigeria) * (Norway) * Lieutenant general (Pakistan) * (Philippines) * (Poland) * (Portugal) * (Romania) (see (Fr)) * (; Russia Empire, Soviet Union, and Russian Federation) * () (Serbia) * (Spain) * Lieutenant general (Sri Lanka) * (Sweden) * (Switzerland) * ("") (Thailand) * (Turkey) * Lieutenant general (United Kingdom) * Lieutenant general (United States) * (Vietnam) * Lieutenant general (Zimbabwe)

Army ranks

File:Afgn-Army-Dagar Jenral(LtGen).svg|Dagar Jenral
(Afghan National Army) File:Argentina-Army-OF-9.svg|Teniente General
(Argentine Army) File:Australian Army OF-8.svg|Lieutenant general
(Australian Army) File:Genlt-aut-feldanzug.gif|''Generalleutnant''
(Austrian Army) File:Bangladesh-army-OF-8.svg|Lieutenant general
(Bangladesh Army) File:Army-BEL-OF-08.svg|''Lt général / Lt generaal''
(Belgian Land Component) File:Bosnia and Herzegovina Colonel-general Insignia.svg|Lieutenant general
(Bosnian Army) File:Rank insignia of Генерал-лейтенант of the Bulgarian Army.png|Генерал-лейтенант
(Bulgarian Army) File:CDN-Army-LGen-Shoulder.svg|Lieutenant general
(Canadian Army) File:CEJ ejercito chile.png|Teninete General
(Chilean Army) Abolished in 2002 File:PLA Lieutenant General.svg|''Zhong Jiang''
(People's Liberation Army) File:Army-HRV-OF-08.svg|''General pukovnik''
(Croatian Army) File:CzArmy 2011 OF8-Generalporucik shoulder.svg|''Generálporučík''
(Czech Army) File:Rank insignia of generalløjtnant of the Royal Danish Army.svg|''Generalløjtnant''
(Royal Danish Army) File:EgyptianArmyInsignia-LieutenantGeneral.svg|Lieutenant general -فريق
(Egyptian Army) File:ES-Army-OF20.jpg|''Kindralleitnant''
(Estonian Land Forces) File:Kenraaliluutnantti kauluslaatta.svg|''Kenraaliluutnantti / generallöjtnant''
(Finnish Army) File:Georgia-Army-OF-8.svg|''გენერალ ლეიტენანტი''
(Georgian Defense Forces) File:331-Generalleutnant.png|''Generalleutnant''
(German Army) File:Army-GRE-OF-08.svg|Αντιστράτηγος
(Greek Army) File:19altábornagy.png|''Altábornagy''
(Hungarian Army) File:Lieutenant General of the Indian Army.svg|Lieutenant general
(Indian Army) File:21-TNI Army-LG.svg|''Letnan Jenderal''
(Indonesian Army) File:Sepahbod.png|''Sepahbad''
(Iranian Army) File:20- Sepahbod-IRGC.png|''Sepahbad''
(Iranian Corps) File:IE-Army-OF8.png|''Leifteanant-ghinearál''
Irish Army File:Gjenerallejtenant.jpg|''Gjenerallejtnant''
Kosovo Security Forces File:17-APM-LG.svg|Генерал потполковник (''general potpolkovnik'')
(Army of the Republic of North Macedonia) File:Nl-landmacht-luitenant generaal.svg|''Luitenant-generaal''
(Royal Netherlands Army) File:Army-NOR-OF-08.svg|''Generalløytnant''
(Royal Norwegian Army) File:OF-8 PakistanArmy.svg|Lieutenant general
(Pakistan Army) File:PA LTGEN Svc.svg|''Tenyente Heneral''
(Philippine Army) File:Army-POL-OF-08.svg|''Generał broni''
(Polish Army) File:21 - Tenente-general.png|''Tenente-general''
(Portuguese Army) File:Russia-Army-OF-7-2010.svg|''Генера́л-лейтена́нт''
(Russian Armed Forces) File:10-RSA-OF08.svg|Lieutenant General
(Singapore Armed Forces) File:3ej.png|''Teniente general''
(Spanish Army) File:OF-8 Generallöjtnant M87.png|''Generallöjtnant''
(Swedish Army) File:CHE OF8 KKdt.svg|''Korpskommandant'' / ''Commandant de corps'' / ''Comandante di corpo''
(Swiss Armed Forces) File:RTA OF-8 (Lieutenant General).svg|''Pol tho''
(Royal Thai Army) File:Turkey-army-OF-8.svg|''Korgeneral''
(Turkish Land Forces) File:Погон генерал-лейтенанта ЗСУ (2020).svg|Генерал-лейтенант
( Ukrainian Army) File:British Army OF-8.svg|Lieutenant general
(UK (British) Army) File:US Army O9 (Army greens).svg|Lieutenant general
(United States Army) File:Vietnam People's Army Lieutenant General.jpg|''Trung tướng''
(Vietnam People's Army)

Air force ranks

File:BE-Air Force-OF8.svg|''Lieutenant général'' / ''Luitenant-generaal''
(Belgian Air Component) File:Rank insignia of Генерал-лейтенант of the Bulgarian Air forces.png|''Генерал-лейтенант''
(Bulgarian Air Force) File:RDAF Lt Gen.svg|''Generalløjtnant''
(Royal Danish Air Force) File:16 - FAE - Pala de Teniente General - Lieutenant General.jpg|''Teniente general''
(Ecuadorian Air Force) File:Kenraaliluutnantti kauluslaatta.svg|''Kenraaliluutnantti / Generallöjtnant''
(Finnish Air Force) File:Georgia Air Force OF-9.png|''გენერალ ლეიტენანტი''
(Georgian Air Force) File:Nl-luchtmacht-luitenant generaal.svg|''Luitenant-generaal''
(Royal Netherlands Air Force) File:PAF LTGEN Svc.svg|''Tenyente heneral''
(Philippine Air Force) File:Rank insignia of generał broni of the Air Force of Poland.svg|''Generał broni''
(Polish Air Force) File:TenGen t.jpg|''Tenente-general''
(Portuguese Air Force) File:Russia-Airforce-OF-7-2010.svg|''Генера́л-лейтена́нт''
(Russian Aerospace Forces) File:SP-08 Teniente General EA.svg|''Teniente-general''
(Spanish Air Force) File:OF-8_Generallöjtnant_FV.jpg|''Generallöjtnant''
(Swedish Air Force) File:Turkey-air-force-OF-8.svg|''Korgeneral''
(Turkish Air Force) File: UAAF shoulder mark 20.svg|Генерал-лейтенант
(Ukrainian Air Force) File:US Air Force O9 shoulderboard.svg|Lieutenant general
(United States Air Force) File:Vietnam People's Air Force Lieutenant General.jpg|Lieutenant general
(Vietnam Air Force)

Naval infantry

File: UAN shoulder mark 20.svg |Ukrainian Marine corps
''(Генерал-лейтенант)''

Lieutenant general equivalent ranks

* (Brasil) * (Chile) * (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina) * (France - or ), (France, ) * (Iran) * (Israel) * (Italy) * (Imperial Japanese Army), , and (Japan Self Defense Forces,three-star rank) (Japan) * (North Korea) * (South Korea) * (México) * (Poland) * فريق (Saudi Arabia - Egypt) * (Serbia) * (Slovenia) * / (Switzerland) * and (Vietnam)
Image:Brasil-Insígnia de General de Divisão-V.gif|''General-de-Divisão'' (Brazilian Army) Image:Brazilian Air Force Major-Brigadier rank insignia.svg|''Major Brigadeiro'' (Brazilian Air Force) Image:Army-FRA-OF-08.svg|''Général de corps d'armée'' (French Army) featuring 4 stars instead of the typical 3 stars Image:IDF_rav_aluf.svg|''Rav Aluf'' (Israel) Image:IT-Army-OF8.svg|''Generale di Corpo d'Armata'' (Italy) Image:JGSDF Lieutenant General insignia (b).svg|''Rikushō'' (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force) Image:JASDF Lieutenant General insignia (b).svg|''Kūshō''(Japan Air Self-Defense Force) Image:17-Serbian Army-LG.svg|''Генерал-потпуковник'' (Serbian Army) Image:17-Serbian Air Force-LG.svg|''Генерал-потпуковник'' (Serbian Air Force)

Other Lieutenant general ranks

* ''Gruppenführer'' (Waffen-SS) * ''Feldmarschallleutnant'' (Austro-Hungarian Army) * ''Korpskommandant'' (Swiss Army)

See also

* British and United States military ranks compared * Comparative military ranks * Israel Defense Forces ranks * List of lieutenant generals in the United States Army before 1960


References




External links

* {{Authority control Category:Military ranks Category:Military ranks of Singapore