Ranks in the French Navy

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Marine Nationale

Motto: Honneur, Patrie, Valeur, Discipline (“Honour, Homeland, Valour, Discipline”) Command Naval Ministers Maritime Prefect Components Force d'action navale Force océanique stratégique Aviation navale FORFUSCO Commandos de Marine Fusiliers de Marine Gendarmerie Navale Equipment Current Fleet Current deployments Personnel Ranks in the French Navy History History of the French Navy Future of the French Navy Ensigns and pennants Historic ships    battleships    cruisers    ships of the line    Sail frigates Historic Fleets Awards Croix de guerre Médaille militaire Légion d'honneur Ribbons

The rank insignia of the French Navy (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 officers had an anchor on their insignia, but warrant officers are now receiving them as well.

Unlike in the French Army (Armée de Terre) and French Air Force (Armée de l'Air), one does not prepend mon to the name of the rank when addressing an officer (for example, capitaine instead of mon capitaine). [1] This custom is sometimes said to date back to the Battle of Trafalgar, when Napoleon decided that French Navy officers did not deserve to be called "monsieur" (mon being here elliptical for monsieur, "sir").

Commanding officers have titles of capitaine, but are called commandant (in the army, both capitaine and commandant are ranks, which tends to stir some confusion among the public). The two highest ranks, vice-amiral d'escadre and amiral (admiral), are functions, rather than ranks. They are assumed by officers ranking vice-amiral (vice admiral).

The only amiral de la flotte (Admiral of the Fleet) was François Darlan after he was refused the dignity of Admiral of France. Equivalent to the dignity of Marshal of France, the rank of Admiral of the Fleet remains theoretical in the Fifth Republic; it was last granted in 1869, during the Second Empire, 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 than his counterpart in the British Royal Navy, who had the rank of Admiral of the Fleet.

Contents 1 Insignia 1.1 Officers 1.1.1 Officiers généraux — General officers 1.1.2 Officiers supérieurs — Senior officers 1.1.3 Officiers subalternes — Junior officers 1.2 Petty officers and enlisted personnel 1.2.1 Officiers mariniers — Petty Officers 1.2.2 Matelots et quartiers-maîtres — Sailors and quarter-masters

Insignia

Officers

Officiers généraux — General officers

Contre-Amiral Counter-Admiral/Rear Admiral (Commodore)

Vice-Amiral Vice-Admiral (Rear Admiral)

Vice-Amiral d'escadre Squadron Vice-Admiral (Vice Admiral)

Amiral Admiral

Officiers supérieurs — Senior officers

Capitaine de corvette Corvette Captain (Lieutenant Commander)

Capitaine de frégate Frigate Captain (Commander)

Capitaine de vaisseau Ship-of-the-Line Captain (Captain)

Officiers subalternes — Junior officers

Aspirant Midshipman

Enseigne de vaisseau de deuxième classe Ship of the Line ensign second class (Acting Sub-Lieutenant)

Enseigne de vaisseau de première classe Ship of the Line ensign first class (Sub-Lieutenant)

Lieutenant de vaisseau Ship-of-the-Line Lieutenant (Lieutenant)

Petty officers and enlisted personnel

Officiers mariniers — Petty Officers

Second-maître Second master	Maître Master	Premier-maître First master	Maître-principal Principal master
Major Major

Matelots et quartiers-maîtres — Sailors and quarter-masters

Matelot Sailor

Matelot breveté Diplomed sailor

Quartier-maître de 2ème classe Quarter-master second class

Quartier-maître de 1ère classe Quarter-master first class