The list of military ranks is established by the Law of the Russian Federation “On Military Duty and Military Service”. They are divided into military and naval (sea).
Naval ranks are assigned to military personnel of the submarine and surface forces of the Navy. Military applies to ground, space and airborne forces.
These include:
- Coastal troops. They protect strategic areas of the coastal zone. Military bases of the Russian Federation are equipped with missile systems and artillery. They have torpedo, anti-aircraft and mine weapons.
- Naval aviation protects its ships from air attack. It organizes reconnaissance, search and rescue operations, transportation and landing of detachments. Its formations are based in the Black Sea, Pacific, Northern and Baltic fleets.
- Marines was created in 1992. It is designed to protect naval bases, defend important coastal facilities, and participate in combat operations.
Each department has its own responsibilities, but they have the same basic functions:
- protection of the country's sovereignty;
- ensuring public safety;
- use of force in case of detection of a threat from the sea side;
- obedience to the orders of the commander in chief.
Junior ranks in the navy
During the first months of service in the Russian Navy, soldiers are called sailors. Until 1946, they were called “Red Navy men.” This rank is equivalent to private in the ground forces.
To the best sailors for excellent performance of official duties and adherence to discipline is assigned to the senior sailor. They can replace squad commanders during their absence. The corresponding military rank is corporal.
The squad leader is a foreman of the first or second class. These titles began to be used in 1940. In the ground forces they are equivalent to sergeant and junior sergeant.
The deputy platoon commander is called the chief sergeant major. Among army servicemen, he corresponds to a senior sergeant. The rank above him is the chief petty officer.
Midshipman - this military rank is assigned to persons who remain in service in the ranks of the Navy after the expiration of the established period. They are trained in schools or courses. Senior midshipman is a rank higher. The ranks are equivalent to military warrant officer and senior warrant officer.
Naval officers
The first rank of junior officers in the navy is junior lieutenant. Upon completion of their period of service and successful completion of certification, they are transferred to lieutenants.
The next level is senior lieutenant. The rank corresponds to a cavalry captain, infantry captain or captain of the Cossack troops. The highest rank of junior officers is captain-lieutenant.
A captain of the 3rd rank is sometimes called a "captri". Equivalent to a major of the ground forces. Abbreviated name of captain 2nd rank -"kavtorang" or "kapdva". Corresponds to a lieutenant colonel in the armed forces. A captain of the 1st rank or “kapraz” is equivalent to the rank of colonel, and can command ships.
Rear admiral is the first admiral rank established on May 7, 1940. He serves as deputy fleet commander. A similar rank in the aviation and ground forces is major general. Above are the vice admiral and the admiral. Similar to them are army servicemen, lieutenant general and colonel general.
The post of Commander-in-Chief of the Navy is occupied by the Admiral of the Fleet. This is the highest active naval rank in the Russian Federation.
Insignia
Shoulder straps of sailors without insignia. Senior sailors have one braid - a transverse strip. The foreman of the second class has two yellow fabric braids, the first class has three. The shoulder straps of the chief petty officer have one wide stripe. The chief petty officer has one longitudinal braid.
Midshipmen's shoulder straps are marked with small stars, which are located vertically. The midshipman has two stars, the senior midshipman has three.
Junior officers wear a vertical yellow stripe on their shoulder straps - a clearance. They have 13mm stars sewn on them. The junior lieutenant has one star in the clear, the lieutenant has two stars on both sides of the yellow stripe, the senior has one in the clear and two on the sides, the captain-lieutenant has two on the line and two on the sides.
The shoulder straps of senior officers have two parallel gaps and stars measuring 20 millimeters. The captain of the 3rd rank has one star between the yellow stripes, the second - one on each gap, the first - one between the lines and one on them.
High-level officers wear shoulder straps with large stars and no gaps. A rear admiral has one star, a vice admiral has two, and an admiral has three. On the shoulder straps of the fleet admiral there is only one large star measuring 4 centimeters.
Sleeve insignia
On the sleeves of officers' uniforms there are yellow stripes and stars. Higher ranks have an embroidered anchor inside the star.
The number of stripes and width vary by rank:
- medium-sized stripe for a junior lieutenant;
- medium and narrow - for the lieutenant;
- two middle ones - for the senior lieutenant;
- one narrow and two medium ones - for the lieutenant commander;
- three medium ones - for the captain of the 3rd rank, four medium ones - for the second one, one wide - for the first one;
- medium and wide - for the rear admiral;
- two medium and wide - for the vice admiral;
- three medium and wide - for the admiral;
- four medium and one wide - for the fleet admiral.
The procedure for assigning the next Navy rank
The law establishes the following stages of increase:
- the minimum period of service to obtain the rank of sergeant major of the second article is one year;
- Three years of service allows you to become a chief petty officer;
- the same number of years is required to be a midshipman;
- in two years you can receive the rank of junior lieutenant, in three - lieutenant, and in another three - senior lieutenant;
- four years of further service give grounds to qualify for a captain-lieutenant, and the next four - for a captain of the 3rd rank;
- in five years you can become a captain of the 2nd rank.
For special achievements, it is possible to receive the next military rank early.
The ranks of sailors are somewhat different from the ranks of the ground, missile, space forces, airborne forces, and air force. Let's take a closer look at this classification, starting with an idea of what ranks exist in the Russian Armed Forces.
Composition of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
In total, there are two types of ranks for the military in our state - military and ship (sea) ranks. Their list is established in the Federal Law “On Military Duty and Military Service”.
Naval ranks are assigned to sailors:
- underwater and surface units of the Navy;
- Coast Guard border units of the FSB of the Russian Federation;
- military naval units of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.
Components of the Navy:
- coastal troops;
- Marines;
- naval aviation.
Navy units
Let's look at each one briefly:
- Marine Corps (we'll look at the ranks below). The branch of the military was created on February 14, 1992. It is designed for amphibious assault operations, the defense of important strategic facilities on the coast, and the protection of naval bases. The color of distinction is black (black beret), the motto is: “Where we are, there is victory!” Number: 12.5-35 thousand military personnel. Marine units are present in the Pacific, Northern, Black Sea, Baltic Fleet, and Caspian Flotilla.
- Naval aviation. Destruction of the enemy's battle fleet, as well as its landing forces, convoys, single ships both at sea and at bases, covering one's ships from air attack, aerial reconnaissance, destruction of cruise missiles, airplanes and helicopters, air transportation, landing of detachments, search and rescue work. Basing points: Pacific, Northern, Baltic, Black Sea fleet.
- Coastal defense and security. The troops protect the military bases of the Russian Navy and strategically important areas of the coastal zone. They have coastal artillery and missile systems, incl. and anti-aircraft, torpedo, mine weapons, and special coastal defense vessels.
Naval ranks and shoulder straps: type, colors
There are two main categories of shoulder straps in the navy: for officers and for junior personnel.
Midshipmen, foremen and sailors:
- everyday uniform: blue (in some variations with silver edging) shoulder straps with yellow stripes and the letter “F” embroidered according to rank;
- ceremonial beige shirt (only for midshipmen) - removable shoulder straps, identical to those present on the ceremonial tunic;
- dress coat, tunic - gray and black sewn shoulder straps with a checkerboard pattern.
Officer naval ranks and shoulder straps:
- white dress shirt - golden removable shoulder straps without edging;
- beige dress shirt - shoulder straps without edging to match the clothes;
- casual coat and jacket - black shoulder straps with yellow trim;
- ceremonial officer's jacket - embroidered golden shoulder straps with black edging stripes.
Junior naval ranks and insignia
Sailors wear shoulder straps without insignia; only senior sailors have one transverse stripe (galloon).
Petty officers have insignia - stripes, yellow fabric braids (for both everyday and festive uniforms). Naval ranks:
- foreman of the second article (2 galloons);
- foreman of the first article (3 braids);
- chief petty officer (one wide stripe);
- chief ship's foreman (one wide, longitudinal braid).
Midshipmen's shoulder straps are somewhat similar to those of officers, but are made without gaps (vertical sewn stripes); edgings can be added. The insignia is small vertical stars. Naval ranks:
- midshipman (two stars);
- senior midshipman (three stars).
Naval officers
Junior officer naval ranks of Russia wear one gap on their shoulder straps (a yellow vertically located sewn stripe). The standard size of metal sprockets is 13 mm. Differences:
- junior lieutenant (one star in the clear);
- lieutenant (two stars on both sides of the gap);
- senior lieutenant (three stars - one in the clear, the other two on either side of him);
- captain-lieutenant (four stars - two in the clear, two on the sides of the line).
Senior officer ranks of the navy already have two clearances and the stars on their shoulder straps are larger - 20 mm. Differences:
- captain of the third rank (one star between gaps);
- captain of the second rank (two stars in the gaps);
- captain of the first rank (three stars - two in the gaps, one between the stripes)
Senior officers wear shoulder straps without gaps with large embroidered stars (22 mm):
- rear admiral (one star);
- vice admiral (two stars);
- admiral (three stars);
- admiral of the fleet (one large embroidered star - 40 mm).
Sleeve insignia
In the navy, in addition to shoulder straps, officers also have insignia on the sleeves of their uniforms - yellow stripes and stars. The latter for junior and senior officers are filled with a solid yellow stripe, and for senior officers an anchor is embroidered inside the outline of the star. The width and number of stripes vary by rank:
- junior lieutenant - middle band;
- lieutenant - medium and narrow stripes;
- senior lieutenant - two middle ones;
- captain-lieutenant - two medium, one narrow;
- captain 3rd rank - three averages;
- captain 2nd rank - four averages;
- captain 1st rank - one wide;
- rear admiral - wide and medium;
- vice admiral - wide and two medium;
- admiral - wide and three medium;
- Admiral of the Fleet - wide and four medium.
Correspondence between naval and military ranks
Military and naval ranks correspond as follows:
| Marshal of the Russian Federation | |
| Fleet Admiral | Army General |
| Admirals | Colonel Generals |
| Vice Admirals | Major Generals |
| Rear admirals | Lieutenant Generals |
| Captains 1st rank | Colonels |
| Captains 2nd rank | Lieutenant Colonels |
| Captains 3rd rank | Majors |
| Captain-lieutenants | Captains |
| Lieutenants | |
| Junior lieutenants | |
| Senior midshipmen | Senior warrant officers |
| Midshipmen | Ensigns |
| Chief Petty Officers of the ship | Petty Officers |
| Petty Officers 1 article | Sergeants |
| Petty Officers 2 articles | Junior Sergeants |
| Senior sailors | Corporals |
| Sailors | Privates |
Naval ranks and insignia on shoulder straps in the Russian army are clearly structured, so they are quite easy to understand even with a superficial acquaintance.
The well-being and confidence of every state is based on its army. It is the military, which is an indestructible symbol of strength and power, that is respected by all citizens without exception. In addition to the infantry, paratroopers, tank crews and signalmen representing the ground forces, there is also this military power that protects the peace of the citizens of their country from the water borders. In accordance with the regulations, each military man is assigned a rank. This also applies to sailors. True, they have a slightly different gradation.
Naval ranks are divided into:
a) qualification and professional;
b) naval;
c) honorary.
The first category includes the ranks of sailors who sail on civilian ships. These naval ranks were first used in the 18th century. These include: boatswain, skipper and navigator. A person could receive one of them only after passing a special certification approved by the Russian Admiralty. At the beginning of the 20th century, this system underwent a total reform, as a result of which naval ranks were replenished with another category - navigation ranks, which began to include captain and navigator. The merit of each of them was measured in four categories. Reforms have affected the flotilla more than once. Today, the naval ranks of the civil fleet include the following categories:
Navigators:
a) long-distance/short-distance captains;
b) long/short navigation navigators;
c) ship mechanics of three categories;
d) ship electromechanics of three categories;
e) ship radio specialists of the first and second category, as well as ship radio telegraphists and operators.
Assigned to people who joined or were called up to serve in the navy. However, the initial rank depends on qualifications, special military training, as well as skills. A young man called up for military service on a ship receives the rank of sailor. It corresponds to the rank of private in the ground forces.
A senior sailor is commensurate with the rank of corporal. The commanders of the ground squads are similar to the foreman of the first and second articles. The ranks of chief petty officer and chief petty officer in the fleet correspond to such ranks on land as deputy platoon commander and combat unit foreman. An ensign of the ground forces is not inferior to a midshipman on a ship. For this reason, the senior warrant officer should not be the first to give the military salute to the senior midshipman, since their ranks are equal. The gradation of lieutenants (from junior to senior) is similar. Then the differences begin. Thus, a lieutenant commander in the navy corresponds to a captain in the ground forces. The admiral of the fleet is the same general. The highest naval rank is admiral general - it is similar to field marshal general.
Naval ranks and shoulder straps are inseparable, however, like ranks, military epaulettes in the navy differ from those of the ground forces: along with the stars, stripes are sewn onto them - drags.
In order to know exactly how, according to the regulations, you are supposed to address a military personnel, you need to understand the ranks. Ranks in the Russian Army and shoulder straps provide clarity in relationships and allow you to understand the chain of command. In the Russian Federation there is both a horizontal structure - military and naval ranks, and a vertical hierarchy - from the rank and file to the highest officers.
Rank and file
Private is the lowest military rank in the Russian Army. Moreover, the soldiers received this title in 1946, before that they were addressed exclusively as fighters or Red Army soldiers.
If the service is carried out in a guards military unit or on a guards ship, then when addressing a private, it is worth adding the same word "guard". If you want to contact a military personnel who is in the reserve and has a diploma of higher legal or medical education, then you should contact - "Private Justice", or "private medical service". Accordingly, it is worth adding the appropriate words to someone who is in reserve or retired.
In a ship, the rank of private corresponds to sailor.
Only senior soldiers who perform the best military service are given the rank Corporal. Such soldiers can act as commanders during the latter's absence.
All additional words that were applicable for a private remain relevant for a corporal. Only in the Navy, this rank corresponds to Senior sailor.
The one who commands a squad or combat vehicle receives the rank Lance Sergeant. In some cases, this rank is assigned to the most disciplined corporals upon transfer to the reserve, if such a staff unit was not provided for during service. In the ship's composition it is "sergeant major of the second article"
Since November 1940, the Soviet army received a rank for junior command personnel - sergeant. It is awarded to cadets who have successfully completed the sergeant training program and graduated with honors.
A private can also receive the rank - Lance Sergeant, who has proven himself worthy to be awarded the next rank, or upon transfer to the reserve.
In the Navy, a sergeant of the ground forces corresponds to the rank foreman.
Next comes the Senior Sergeant, and in the Navy - chief petty officer.
After this rank, there is some overlap between land and sea forces. Because after senior sergeant, in the ranks of the Russian army appears Sergeant Major. This title came into use in 1935. Only the best military personnel who served excellently in sergeant positions for six months deserve it, or upon transfer to the reserve, the rank of sergeant major is awarded to senior sergeants certified with excellent results. On the ship it is - chief petty officer.
Next come warrant officers And midshipmen. This is a special category of military personnel, close to junior officers. Complete the rank and file, senior warrant officer and midshipman.
Junior officers
A number of junior officer ranks in the Russian Army begin with the rank Ensign. This title is awarded to final year students and graduates of higher military educational institutions. However, in the event of a shortage of officers, a graduate of a civilian university can also receive the rank of junior lieutenant.
Lieutenant Only a junior lieutenant can become a junior lieutenant who has served a certain amount of time and received a positive educational certificate. Further - senior lieutenant.
And he closes the group of junior officers - Captain. This title sounds the same for both ground and naval forces.
By the way, the new field uniform from Yudashkin obliged our military personnel to duplicate the insignia on the chest. There is an opinion that the “runaways” from the leadership do not see the ranks on our officers’ shoulders and this is done for their convenience. Senior officers
Senior officers begin with rank Major. In the navy, this rank corresponds to Captain 3rd rank. The following Navy ranks will only increase the rank of captain, that is, the rank of land Lieutenant Colonel will correspond Captain 2nd rank, and the rank Colonel – Captain 1st rank.
Senior officers
And the highest officer corps completes the hierarchy of military ranks in the Russian army.
Major General or Rear Admiral(in the navy) - such a proud title is worn by military personnel who command a division - up to 10 thousand people.
Above the Major General is Lieutenant General. (The lieutenant general is higher than the major general because the lieutenant general has two stars on his shoulder straps and the major general has one).
Initially, in the Soviet army, it was more likely not a rank, but a position, because the Lieutenant General was an assistant to the general and took on part of his functions, in contrast to Colonel General, who can personally fill senior positions, both in the General Staff and in the Ministry of Defense. In addition, in the Russian armed forces, a Colonel General may be the deputy commander of a military district.
And finally, the most important serviceman who has the highest military rank in the Russian army is Army General. All previous links must obey him.
About military ranks in video format:
Well, new guy, have you figured it out now?)
Regardless of the number of draft dodgers, which is recorded annually after the completion of conscription campaigns, there have always been enough guys who would like to devote their lives to the army. There are usually two career trends here. The first is to remain in the army under a contract after military service. However, under such circumstances one cannot count on an officer rank. An alternative is to enroll in a higher military educational institution.
It should be recalled that service in some law enforcement agencies, which is equivalent to military service, is no less prestigious and desirable, but you can often get into such a structure after completing military service. Moreover, military everyday life in elite troops is the key to any employment.
In the dreams of young men, the navy occupies the same status as the airborne forces, special forces or MP. The dream can not only come true, but also lead to serious career growth if you fulfill a few not so difficult requirements.
- Having a secondary education is considered mandatory. A diploma from a naval school will greatly increase your chances of ending up in the Navy.
- Height restrictions are positioned at 165 centimeters. These are the maximum minimum indicators. When conducting a medical examination, a psychiatrist’s opinion on resistance to stress and the absence of pathologies will be required.
- The fitness category that members of the draft commission will put in their personal file cannot be lower than A2. That is, certain deviations are still allowed. In this regard, the severity is not the same as in the security forces.
The next step, which can bring a guy significantly closer to serving in the navy, is an application to the military registration and enlistment office. And yet the decisive moment will be the demand for young replenishment, which is determined already at the distribution point. As they say in army slang, everything depends on the availability of a buyer.
The importance of the navy in the defense of the country
Even having devoted an article to an issue covering ranks in the navy and military, one cannot do without mentioning the merits of this type of troops in the defense capability of the state. Considering the fact that the length of Russia’s maritime borders is about 40 thousand kilometers, only a reliable, powerful fleet can prevent a threat from the sea.
Depending on their bases, they distinguish between the Northern Fleet, the Black Sea Fleet, the Pacific Fleet, the Baltic Fleet and the Caspian Fleet. The sovereignty of a country is a guarantee of the security of every citizen. The Navy has a rather complex structure, it is represented by submarine and surface forces, naval aviation and the marine corps. Each unit has its own personal mission, military personnel wear distinctive uniforms, and there are also certain differences in ranks.
Military ranks in the Russian army
In the army there is a clear distribution of rights and responsibilities of all personnel. Moreover, a strict hierarchy is implemented through military ranks. All these ranks can be divided into two types: military and naval. Moreover, military ranks are not necessarily assigned only to the ground forces. On the other hand, ship ranks are not only for those who serve on the ship.
The two types of titles only differ in pronunciation, but the general structure of the hierarchy is the same. Thus, we can distinguish between non-officers and officers. Each military rank will correspond to a specific ship rank. Shoulder straps allow military personnel to maintain subordination.
Naval ranks in ascending order
For greater clarity, it is necessary not only to list all the ship ranks, but also to draw an analogy with the military ones, since it is the latter that are studied in sufficient detail in the life safety course of the section of initial military training. It becomes clear why confusion arises among the younger generation precisely when trying to arrange hierarchical ranks in ascending order in the Navy, because no time is allocated at all for naval ranks with their shoulder straps at school.
The most junior rank a sailor receives upon enlistment is seaman. Since 1946, this rank was renamed from the previously existing “red naval officer”, which still corresponds to private in the ground forces. On the sailor’s shoulder strap there is only the letter “F”, corresponding to the navy.
For excellent achievements in military service, a sailor can be promoted to senior sailor. They are on the same level as corporals and can be appointed to the position of squad commander. The senior sailor's shoulder strap contains one metal strip or golden-colored fabric strip.
Increasing rank in the navy means being awarded the rank of “sergeant major 2nd article.” The sergeant staff begins with it, and in military titles it is positioned as junior sergeant. The two stripes on the shoulder strap are absolutely similar to the corresponding land rank. The only difference is the color.
Petty officer 1st article in the Navy is equal to sergeant. In the navy, as in any ground forces, the rank of sergeant is assigned only to a few of the entire conscript personnel. The candidate must have high moral principles, organizational skills, be theoretically savvy, and be an excellent student of physical and combat training. The sergeant major of the first article has three stripes on his shoulder strap.
The limit to which one can rise when called up is the chief petty officer. It is this rank that comes in order of seniority, and not senior rank 3, as some people mistakenly think. The last title, by the way, is fictitious.
The chief naval sergeant closes the category of sergeants and petty officers. His shoulder straps are marked by one wide and one narrow stripe. With this rank you can hold the position of platoon commander. Ship ranks are found in the border service troops, which also belong to the Russian Navy.
Until now, the ship ranks considered were at least in some way consonant with the land ranks. A purely naval term - midshipman - means a rank that is assigned to a serviceman after graduating from the appropriate school. On land, similar provisions apply to warrant officers. The midshipman and senior midshipman on their shoulder straps have two or three stars, respectively, located lengthwise.
Officer ranks begin with lieutenant. At this level of ranking there are no differences, even the shoulder straps are the same. Along the shoulder strap there is a golden stripe, which designates a group of junior officers. A junior lieutenant has one star, a lieutenant has two, and a senior lieutenant has three. Three stars are arranged in a triangle, two across the shoulder strap and one along.
The naval rank that crowns the group of ranks of junior officers, in contrast to the combined arms rank of “captain,” is listed as lieutenant commander. Two stars across the shoulder strap and two along it give the right to receive the position of commander of a warship. The rank of lieutenant commander is awarded to a senior lieutenant only after 4 years of service.
Senior officer ranks begin with captain 3rd rank. Logically, it is clear that it corresponds to the rank of major. In sailor slang, the title sounds like “captri”. Accordingly, next comes “kapdva” or “kaptorang”, as well as “kapraz” or “kaperang”. The origin of these abbreviations is quite clear. The shoulder straps resemble those of a lieutenant in the number and arrangement of stars, only the status of a senior officer is emphasized by two stripes running lengthwise.
It should be noted that not only in Russia, but also in a number of other countries, the ranks of the navy are defined in a similar way. The highest officer rank begins with rear admiral. We can say that a vice admiral is the third most senior person in the fleet. Next come ranks such as admiral and fleet admiral.
Now let's move on to military ranks. They are presented in ascending order by the sequence: major general, lieutenant general, colonel general and army general. Their shoulder straps do not contain stripes, but the stars denoting gradation are larger in size than those of senior officers. It is noteworthy that the number of ranks from sailor to fleet admiral is the same as from private to army general. It is necessary to harmonize military and naval ranks for two reasons: they are all subordinate to the marshal; in operations in which several types of troops participate simultaneously, for effective interaction, a chain of command must be clearly established.