vice admiral

Vice Admiral is a naval rank equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority. A Vice Admiral is typically senior to a Rear Admiral and junior to an Admiral. In many navies,^[1] Vice Admiral is a three star rank.

Rank Insignia

The rank insignia for a Vice Admiral usually involves three stars, but this is not always the case. In the navy of Iraq, Vice Admiral insignia involves one star.^[2] In the navies of Azerbaijan,^[3] Bangladesh,^[4] China,^[5] Cuba,^[6] Iran,^[7] Mexico,^[8] North Korea,^[9] and Russia Vice Admiral insignia involves two stars, and in the navy of Turkey, Vice Admiral insignia involves four stars.^[10]

Gallery

Australian Vice Admiral shoulder board	Canadian Dress uniform tunic	Canadian Shoulder board for short sleeve shirt or tropical white tunic	Canadian arid-region CADPAT uniform
Pennant of a French vice-amiral.	French Shoulder insignia	Romanian tunic shoulder board of a Viceamiral	Vicealmirante of the Spanish Navy
UK Royal Navy Vice-Admiral sleeve insignia	UK Royal Navy Vice-Admiral shoulder board[1]	The stars and shoulder boards of a US Navy vice admiral	The stars and shoulder boards of a US Coast Guard vice admiral

Australia

In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice Admiral is held by the Chief of Navy (currently VADM Russell Crane) and, when the positions are held by navy officers, by the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, the Chief of Joint Operations, and/or the Chief of the Capability Development Executive (currently VADM Matt Tripovich).

Vice Admiral is the equivalent of Air Marshal in the Royal Australian Air Force and Lieutenant General in the Australian Army.

Canada

In the Canadian Navy, the rank of Vice-Admiral (VAdm) (Vice-amiral or Vam in French) is equal to a Lieutenant-General of the Canadian Army or Canadian Air Force. A Vice-Admiral is a Flag Officer, the naval equivalent of a General Officer. A Vice-Admiral is senior to a Rear-Admiral or Major General, and junior to an Admiral or General.

The rank insignia for a Vice-Admiral is three gold maple leaves, beneath crossed sword and baton, all surmounted by St. Edward's Crown, worn on the shoulder straps of the Service Dress tunic, and on slip-ons on other uniforms. The Service Dress tunic also features a wide strip of gold braid around the cuff. On the visor of the service cap are two rows of gold oak leaves.

Vice-Admirals are addressed by rank and name; thereafter by subordinates as "Sir" or "Ma'am". Vice-Admirals are normally entitled to staff cars; the car will normally bear a flag, dark blue with three gold maple leaves arranged one over two.

A Vice-Admiral generally holds only the most senior command or administrative appointments, barring only Chief of Defence Staff, which is held by a full Admiral or General. Appointments held by Vice-Admirals may include Vice-Chief of Defence Staff (VCDS); Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (DCDS); Commander of an operational command (such as Canada Command); Chief of the Maritime Staff (CMS); Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of Defence in various capacities; or commander of or representative to a multinational force, alliance, or treaty organization. Positions held by Vice-Admirals are:

• Prince Charles, Prince of Wales KG KT OM GCB AK QSO SOM CD** PC AdC(P)^[11]
• Chief of the Maritime Staff (CMS): Vice-Admiral Drew W. Robertson CMM MSM CD^[12]
• Vice Chief of Defence Staff: Vice-Admiral Denis Rouleau CMM MSM CD^[13]
• Commander of Canada Command: Vice-Admiral Dean McFadden CMM CD^[14]

See also: Canadian Forces ranks and insignia

France

In France, vice-amiral is the most senior of the ranks in the French Navy; higher ranks, vice-amiral d'escadre and amiral, are permanents function, style and position (in french rang et appellation) given to a vice-amiral-ranking officer. The vice-amiral rank used to be an OF-8 rank in NATO charts, but nowadays, it is more an OF-7 rank.

The rank of vice-amiral d'escadre (literally, "Squadron Vice-Admiral", with more precision, "Fleet Vice-Admiral") equals a NATO OF-8 rank.

Italy

In Italy, the equivalent to Vice Admiral is the Ammiraglio di Squadra.

Philippines

In Philippines, the rank Vice Admiral is the highest ranking official of the Philippine Navy. He is recognized as the Flag Officer in-charge of the Navy. The rank Vice-Admiral in the Philippines, has the same ranking in the U.S Navy.

United Kingdom

In the Royal Navy the rank of Vice-Admiral should be distinguished from the office of Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom, which is an Admiralty position usually held by a retired "full" Admiral, and that of Vice-Admiral of the Coast, a now obsolete office dealing with naval administration in each of the maritime counties.

History

United States

Vietnam

In Vietnam, the equivalent to Vice Admiral is the Phó Đô Đốc.

Notes

See also

• Comparative Military Ranks