Admiral general (Spain)

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Admiral general
Spain-Navy-OF-9-collect.svg
Shoulder and sleeve insignia
CountryFlag of Spain.svg Spain
Service branchNaval Jack of Spain.svg  Spanish Navy
Rank Four-star
NATO rank code OF-9
FormationMay 19, 1999
Next higher rank Captain general of the Navy
Next lower rank Admiral
Equivalent ranks

Admiral general (Spanish : Almirante general) also called general admiral, is a four-star flag officer and the second highest possible rank in the Spanish Navy. Admiral general ranks immediately above admiral and is equivalent to a General of the Army and a General of the Air. There is not equivalent in the Civil Guard or in the Spanish Navy Marines; in both cases the top rank is Lieutenant general.

Contents

The rank was created in 1999 to adapt Spain's military ranks to better correspond with those of NATO. [1] It is the highest rank that a Spanish naval officer can reach, as the only higher rank is that of captain general, which can only be held by the king or queen of Spain as commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces (although sometimes it has been given as an honorary rank to some generals).

The admiral general's insignia consists of a baton crossed over a saber under a royal crown. Below this and forming an imaginary diamond, four stars. Furthermore, in the sleeves of the uniform, a twisted rope and over this one three 14mm stripes and a star 50mm away. Being under a Crown means that the rank is part of the generalship (the group of generals of the Armed Forces), the baton and the saber means command and the four stars means the rank of General. This insignia was used before to 1999 by the Head of State as Captain General. [2]

Promotion

Promotion to admiral general is reserved to two positions. These are, the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Chief of Staff of the Navy.

Both positions are appointed by the Spanish government, the first is directly nominated by the Prime Minister and the second is nominated by the Minister of Defense. Being appointed Chief of the Defense Staff means an automatic promotion to the rank of admiral general. The same happens with the Chief of Staff of the Navy with the exception if the official appointed has the rank of vice admiral, in that case, the official needs to be promoted first to admiral. [1]

Living admiral generals

As of March 2023, there are 9 admiral generals alive, these are:

PromotedNameOthers
21 May 1999 Antonio Moreno Barberá [3]
21 May 1999
( ad honorem )
Carlos Vila Miranda [7] Chief of Staff of the Navy (1990 [8] -1994) [9]
21 May 1999
( ad honorem )
Juan José Romero Caramelo [10] Chief of Staff of the Navy (1994 [11] -1997) [12]
16 December 2000 Francisco José Torrente Sánchez [13]
  • Chief of Staff of the Navy (2000–2004) [14]
  • Secretary General of Defence Policy (2004 [15] –2007) [16]
30 April 2004 Sebastián Zaragoza Soto [17] Chief of Staff of the Navy (2004–2008) [18]
18 July 2008 Manuel Rebollo García [19] Chief of Staff of the Navy (2008–2012) [20]
30 December 2011 Fernando García Sánchez [21] Chief of the Defence Staff (2011–2017) [22]
27 July 2012 Jaime Muñoz-Delgado [23] Chief of Staff of the Navy (2012–2017) [24]
31 March 2017 Teodoro E. López Calderón [25]
  • Chief of Staff of the Navy (2017–2021)
  • Chief of the Defence Staff (2021–present)

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References

  1. 1 2 "Law 17/1999, of May 18, on the Armed Forces Personnel Regime". BOE.es. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  2. "Ministry of Defense Order 1756/2016, of October 28, which approves the uniformity rules of the Armed Forces". BOE.es. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  3. Real Decreto 854/1999, de 21 de mayo, por el que se promueve al empleo de Almirante General al Almirante don Antonio Moreno Barberá, Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Armada. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  4. Real Decreto 1275/2008, de 18 de julio, por el que se dispone el cese del Almirante General del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Sebastián Zaragoza Soto como Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Armada. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  5. Real Decreto 3430/2000, de 15 de diciembre, por el que se nombra Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa al Almirante General del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Antonio Moreno Barberá. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  6. Real Decreto 1558/2004, de 25 de junio, por el que se dispone el cese del Almirante General del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Antonio Moreno Barberá como Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  7. Real Decreto 880/1999, de 21 de mayo, por el que se promueve al empleo de Almirante General, con carácter honorífico, al Almirante don Carlos Vila Miranda. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  8. Real Decreto 634/1990, de 18 de mayo, por el que se nombra Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Armada al Almirante don Carlos Vila Miranda. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  9. Real Decreto 228/1994, de 14 de febrero, por el que se dispone el cese como Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Armada del Almirante del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Carlos Vila Miranda. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  10. Real Decreto 884/1999, de 21 de mayo, por el que se promueve al empleo de Almirante General, con carácter honorífico, al Almirante don Juan José Romero Caramelo. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  11. Real Decreto 233/1994, de 14 de febrero, por el que se nombra Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Armada al Almirante del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Juan José Romero Caramelo. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  12. [Real Decreto 1054/1997, de 27 de junio, por el que se dispone el cese del Almirante del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Juan José Romero Caramelo como Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Armada.] Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  13. Real Decreto 3437/2000, de 15 de diciembre, por el que se nombra Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Armada al Almirante del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Francisco José Torrente Sánchez. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  14. Real Decreto 950/2004, de 30 de abril, por el que se dispone el cese del Almirante General del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Francisco José Torrente Sánchez como Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Armada. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  15. Real Decreto 956/2004, de 30 de abril, por el que se nombra Secretario General de Política de Defensa al Almirante General del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Francisco José Torrente Sánchez. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  16. Real Decreto 49/2007, de 19 de enero, por el que se dispone el cese del Almirante General del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Francisco José Torrente Sánchez como Secretario General de Política de Defensa. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  17. Real Decreto 955/2004, de 30 de abril, por el que se nombra Jefe de Estado Mayor de la Armada al Almirante del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Sebastián Zaragoza Soto. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  18. Real Decreto 1275/2008, de 18 de julio, por el que se dispone el cese del Almirante General del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Sebastián Zaragoza Soto como Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Armada. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  19. Real Decreto 1279/2008, de 18 de julio, por el que se promueve al empleo de Almirante del Cuerpo General de la Armada, al Vicealmirante don Manuel Rebollo García. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  20. Real Decreto 1158/2012, de 27 de julio, por el que se dispone el cese del Almirante General del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Manuel Rebollo García como Jefe de Estado Mayor de la Armada. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  21. Real Decreto 1903/2011, de 30 de diciembre, por el que se nombra Jefe de Estado Mayor de la Defensa al Almirante del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Fernando García Sánchez. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  22. Real Decreto 287/2017, de 24 de marzo, por el que se dispone el cese del Almirante General del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Fernando García Sánchez como Jefe de Estado Mayor de la Defensa. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  23. Real Decreto 1165/2012, de 27 de julio, por el que se nombra Jefe de Estado Mayor de la Armada al Almirante del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Jaime Muñoz-Delgado y Díaz del Río. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  24. Real Decreto 341/2017, de 31 de marzo, por el que se dispone el cese del Almirante General del Cuerpo General de Armada don Jaime Muñoz-Delgado y Díaz del Río como Jefe de Estado Mayor de la Armada. Boletín Oficial del Estado.
  25. Real Decreto 351/2017, de 31 de marzo, por el que se nombra Jefe de Estado Mayor de la Armada al Almirante del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Teodoro Esteban López Calderón. Boletín Oficial del Estado.