Lieutenant general
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Lieutenant general, lieutenant-general and similar (abbrev Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) 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 latter 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.[citation needed]
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, 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.
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Lieutenant general ranks by country[edit]
- Lieutenant general (Australia)
- Lieutenant general (Bangladesh)
- Porucnik-General (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
- Lieutenant general (Botswana)[1]
- Генерал-лейтенант (Bulgaria)
- Lieutenant-general (Canada)
- zhong jiang (China and Taiwan)
- General pukovnik (Croatia)
- Generálporučík (Czech Republic)
- Generalløjtnant (Denmark)
- Kindralleitnant (Estonia)
- Kenraaliluutnantti (Finland)
- Général de corps d'armée in the French Armed Forces, including the French Air Force since 1939. Prior officially, Général de division for the French Army and Vice-Amiral for the French Navy since 1791, formerly designated as Lieutenant-General of France. (France)
- გენერალ ლეიტენანტი ("general leitenanti") (Georgia)
- Generalleutnant (Germany)
- Αντιστράτηγος (Greek Army Antistrátigos, vice general)
- Altábornagy (Hungary)
- Lieutenant general (India)
- Letnan Jenderal (Indonesia)
- Sepahbod (Iran)
- Leifteanant-Ghinearál (Republic of Ireland)
- Rav Aluf (Israel)
- Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Italy)
- Gjenerallejtenant (Kosovo)
- Ģenerālleitnants (Latvia)
- Generolas leitenantas (Lithuania)
- Генерал потполковник (general potpolkovnik) (Republic of Macedonia)
- Luitenant-generaal (Netherlands)
- Lieutenant General (Nigeria)
- Generalløytnant (Norway)
- Lieutenant general (Pakistan)
- Tenyente heneral (Philippines)
- Generał broni (Poland)
- Tenente-general (Portugal)
- General de corp de armată (Romania) (see Général de corps d'armée (Fr))
- Генерал-лейтенант ("general-lieutenant") (Russia)
- Генерал-потпуковник ("general potpukovnik") (Serbia)
- Teniente general (Spain)
- Lieutenant general (Sri Lanka)
- Generallöjtnant (Sweden)
- Korpskommandant / Commandant de corps / Comandante di corpo (Switzerland)
- Pol tho ("พลโท") (Thailand)
- Korgeneral (Turkey)
- Lieutenant general (United Kingdom)
- Lieutenant general (United States)
- Trung tướng (Vietnam)
- Lieutenant general (Zimbabwe)
Army ranks[edit]
Dagar Jenral
(Afghan National Army)Generalleutnant
(Austrian Army)Lieutenant general
(Bangladesh Army)Генерал-лейтенант
(Bulgarian Army)Lieutenant general
(Canadian Army)Zhong Jiang
(People's Liberation Army)Generálporučík
(Czech Army)Generalløjtnant
(Royal Danish Army)გენერალ ლეიტენანტი
(Georgian Army)Altábornagy
(Hungarian Army)Lieutenant general
(Indian Army)Letnan Jenderal
(Indonesian Army)Sepahbod
(Iran Army)Leifteanant-ghinearál
Irish ArmyGjenerallejtnant
Kosovo Security ForcesГенерал потполковник (general potpolkovnik)
(Army of the Republic of Macedonia)Luitenant-generaal
(Royal Netherlands Army)Generalløytnant
(Royal Norwegian Army)Lieutenant general
(Pakistan Army)Tenyente Heneral
(Philippine Army)Generał broni
(Polish Army)Tenente-general
(Portuguese Army)Teniente general
(Spanish Army)Pol tho
(Royal Thai Army)Korgeneral
(Turkish Land Forces)Lieutenant general
(US Army, September 1959 to October 2015)Trung tướng
(Vietnam People's Army)
Air Force ranks[edit]
Lieutenant général / Luitenant-generaal
(Belgian Air Component)Генерал-лейтенант
(Bulgarian Air Force)Generalløjtnant
(Royal Danish Air Force)Teniente general
(Ecuadorian Air Force)გენერალ ლეიტენანტი
(Georgian Air Force)Luitenant-generaal
(Royal Netherlands Air Force)Generał broni
(Polish Air Force)Tenente-general
(Portuguese Air Force)Teniente-general
(Spanish Air Force)Generallöjtnant
(Swedish Air Force)Korgeneral
(Turkish Air Force)
Lieutenant general equivalent ranks[edit]
- فريق (Algeria)
- General-de-Divisão (Brasil)
- General de División (Chile)
- General pukovnik (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Sepah-Bod (Iran)
- Rav Aluf (Israel)
- Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Italy)
- Rikugun-Chūjō陸軍中将(IJA), Rikushō陸将, and Kūshō空将(JSDF,three-star rank) (Japan)
- Chungjang (North Korea)
- Jungjang (South Korea)
- General de División (México)
- Generał broni (Poland)
- Farig فريق (Saudi Arabia)
- (General-potpukovnik) Генерал-потпуковник (Serbia)
- Generalpodpolkovnik (Slovenia)
- Korpskommandant/Commandant de corps (Switzerland)
- Trung tướng and Phó Đô đốc (Vietnam)
General-de-Divisão(Brazilian Army)
Général de corps d'armée (France) featuring 4 stars instead of the typical 3 stars
Rav Aluf (Israel)
Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Italy)
Rikushō (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force)
Генерал-потпуковник (Serbian Army)
Other Lieutenant general ranks[edit]
- Gruppenführer (Waffen-SS)
- Feldmarschallleutnant (Austro-Hungarian Army)
- Korpskommandant (Swiss Army)
See also[edit]
- Comparative military ranks
- British and United States military ranks compared
- Israel Defense Forces ranks
References[edit]
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