| Admiral Amiral | |
|---|---|
 Flag of the admiral | |
  Shoulder mark and sleeve insignia of a Swedish four-star admiral. | |
| Country |  Sweden |
| Service branch | Swedish Navy |
| Abbreviation | Am (Swedish), [1] Adm (English) [2] |
| Rank group | Flag officer |
| Rank | Four-star [a] |
| Formation | 1522 |
| Next lower rank | Vice admiral |
| Equivalent ranks | General |
Admiral (Adm) (Swedish : Amiral, Am) is a four-star commissioned naval officer rank in the Swedish Navy. Admiral ranks immediately above vice admiral and is equivalent to general.
In Sweden, the admiral's rank first appeared during the reign of Gustav I, who in 1522 gave it to Erik Fleming, a Council of the Realm. During Gustav's reign as king and throughout the latter part of the 16th century, the highest command of a fleet was led by a översteamiral ("colonel admiral"), to whose assistant a underamiral was appointed. It was not until 1569 that a permanent översteamiral was appointed; In 1602 the title was exchanged for riksamiral ("Admiral of the Realm"). The first permanent underamiral was appointed in 1575; his office ceased in 1619. Vice admiral is first mentioned in 1577. The admirals of the Swedish Navy have, incidentally, been as follows: generalamiral ("general admiral"), amiralgeneral ("admiral general"), storamiral ("grand admiral"), överamiral, riksviceamiral ("Vice Admiral of the Realm"), amiralgenerallöjtnant ("admiral lieutenant general"), amirallöjtnant ("lieutenant admiral"), schoutbynacht and konteramiral ("rear admiral"). As names for special positions, there has been: befälhavande amiral ("commanding admiral"), skeppsgårdsamiral ("shipyard admiral"), holmamiral ("islet admiral") and varvsamiral ("shipyard admiral"). [3]
Admiral is equivalent to the rank of general [3] in the Swedish Army, the Swedish Air Force, the Swedish Coastal Artillery (until 2000) and as well as in the Swedish Amphibious Corps (from 2000). Historically, during the 20th century, vice admirals were promoted one grade upon retirement to full four-star admiral. The last time this happened was in 1991 when vice admiral Bror Stefenson was promoted to admiral in connection with his retirement from the navy. [4] According to current practice only royals and the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, if he were to come from the Swedish Navy, can hold the rank of a full, four-star, admiral in Sweden.
Following a proposal from the Swedish Armed Forces, the Government of Sweden decides on employment as an admiral. [5]
In everyday speech, admirals of all ranks are addressed as admirals. [6] [7]
The shoulder mark of a Swedish admiral contains a 45 mm galloon m/51 and four [b] 25 mm star m/30 in silver embroidery on a white background: The center distance between the stars on the shoulder mark must be 27 mm. [8]
A flag officer wears on the sleeves a 45 mm galloon (GALON M/51 45MM K) and a rank insignia (GRADBETECKNING M/02 TILL ÄRM FLOTTAN) (round loop, the Amphibious Corps has a pointed loop in form of a grenade). [9]
A flag officer wears as embellishments a gold embroidered oak leaf wreath (known as scrambled egg) on the visor of the peaked cap (skärmmössa m/48). It also fitted with a hat badge (mössmärke m/78 off för flottan) and with a strap in form of a golden braid. [10]
An officer wears a hat badge (mössmärke m/78 off) for the navy and another (mössmärke m/87 off) for amphibious units on the side cap (båtmössa m/48) and on the winter hat (vintermössa m/87). [11]
Admiral's command flag, which admirals of all ranks carry on ships, where they are as commanders. On a three-masted ship, an admiral's flag flies on top of the main mast (vice admiral's flies on the top of the fore-mast and rear admiral's on top of the mizzen-mast). [12] The command flag of an admiral (and a general) is a double swallowtailed Swedish flag. In the first blue field 4 five-pointed white stars placed two over two [13] (before 1972 by 3 stars placed one over two).
The flag of the admiral (and vice admiral and rear admiral) is flown on ships of the navy, from which officer of the rank now mentioned exercises his command, or on which he travels in the service, but not on ships on which he is in the capacity of exercise leader. [14]
A flag officer (for example an admiral) who holds the position of Supreme Commander, Chief of Operations, Chief of Navy, Chief of Maritime Component Command or naval force commander, may carry an admiral flag on a car in which the commander in question travels in uniform. On airplanes/helicopters, vice admirals (flag officers) may carry a command sign in the form of an image of an admiral flag. [15]
When raising or lowering flags of the commander's, squadron, department or division commander, a gun salute is given with 17 rounds for admiral (15 for vice admiral and 13 for rear admiral). [18]
The following have been promoted to the rank of admiral in the Swedish Navy between 1900 and 2024. This colour indicates that the person was appointed honorary admiral in the Swedish Navy.
Major General (MajGen) (Swedish: generalmajor, genmj) is a two-star commissioned officer rank in the Swedish Army, Swedish Air Force and Swedish Amphibious Corps. Major general ranks immediately above brigadier general and below a lieutenant general. The rank is equivalent to rear admiral in the Swedish Navy.
General is a four-star commissioned officer rank in the Swedish Army, Swedish Air Force and Swedish Amphibious Corps. General ranks immediately above lieutenant general and is equivalent to admiral in the Swedish Navy. It is held by the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces and the monarch.
The Chief of Navy is the most senior appointment in the Swedish Navy. The position Chief of Navy was introduced in 1936 and the current form in 2014.
The Surgeon-General of the Swedish Armed Forces is the highest-ranking medical officer of the Swedish Armed Forces. The Surgeon-General is responsible for the supervision of the Swedish Armed Forces, the Defence Materiel Administration, the Swedish Fortifications Agency and the National Defence Radio Establishment. This includes supervision in the areas of environment, health, nature, sewage, waste and chemicals.
Major General, FriherreAxel Oscar Rappe was a Swedish Army officer. Rappe's senior commands include commanding officer of the Göta Artillery Regiment and Svea Artillery Regiment, Inspector of the Artillery and military commander of the V Military District. He also served in Finland during the Finnish Civil War where attained the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Admiral Otto Emil Lybeck was a Swedish Navy officer. Lybeck's senior commands include Minister of Defence, Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Fleet and Chief of the Naval Staff.
Lieutenant General Bo Ivar Boustedt was a Swedish Army officer. Boustedt's senior commands include regimental commander of Västernorrland Regiment and Uppland Infantry Regiment, chief of the Military Office of the Land Defence, commanding officer of the Eastern Army Division, Commandant General of Stockholm Garrison and Chief of the General Staff.
Vice Admiral Claës Olof Lindsström was a Swedish Navy officer. Lindsström's senior commands include postings as commanding officer of Karlskrona and Stockholm Naval Stations, the South and East Coast Naval District, and as Chief of the Naval Staff. Lindsström was active during the era of the Sverige-class coastal defence ships and made significant efforts to develop this type of coastal defence ship.
Lieutenant General Achates Ernst Wilhelm af Klercker was a senior Swedish Army officer. His senior commands include postings as chief of the Military Office of the Land Defence and Acting Chief of the Army Staff. He commanded the 1st Army Division and the I Military District during World War II.
Vice admiral is a three-star commissioned naval officer rank in the Swedish Navy. Vice admiral ranks above rear admiral and below admiral. Vice admiral is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant general.
Rear admiral (RAdm) (Swedish: Konteramiral, Kam) is a two-star commissioned naval officer rank in the Swedish Navy. Rear admiral ranks above rear admiral (lower half) and below vice admiral. Rear admiral is equivalent to the rank of major general.
Rear admiral (lower half), abbreviated RAdm (Swedish: Flottiljamiral, Fljam; lit. 'flotilla admiral') is a one-star flag officer in the Swedish Navy. Rear admiral (lower half) ranks above captain and below rear admiral. The rank is equivalent to brigadier general in the Swedish Army, Swedish Air Force and the Swedish Amphibious Corps.
Kommendör, abbreviated kmd is the most senior rank of commissioned officer below that of flag officer in the Swedish Navy, ranking below rear admiral and above commander. The rank is equivalent to colonel in the Swedish Army, Swedish Air Force and the Swedish Amphibious Corps.
Commander (Cdr) (Swedish: Kommendörkapten, Kk) is a senior-grade officer rank in the Swedish Navy, ranking below captain and above lieutenant commander. The rank is equivalent to lieutenant colonel in the Swedish Army, Swedish Air Force and the Swedish Amphibious Corps. Before 1972, the rank of commander was divided into two ranks: commander (kommendörkapten av 1:a graden/klassen) and lieutenant commander (kommendörkapten av 2:a graden/klassen).
