Ranks and insignia of Royal Danish Navy

Last updated March 26, 2024

The Royal Danish Navy ranks follows the NATO system of ranks and insignia, as does the rest of the Danish Defence. Outside this ranking system there are physicians (who may wear the same insignia in the Army/Air Force but with a slight variation in the Navy), nurses and veterinarians, while priests and judicial personnel wear completely different insignia and are without rank.

Current ranks

Besides the NATO-system, the Danish defence utilizes its own system, which for the navy is as follows:

Military personnel, level 400 (M400, chef-gruppen^[1]) Executive level: OF-4 through OF-9^[2]
Military personnel, level 300 (M300, officers-gruppen) Operational level: OF-1 through OF-3
Military personnel, level 200 (M200, sergent-gruppen) NCO level: OR-5 through OR-9
Military personnel, level 100 (M100, konstabel-gruppen) Seamen level: OR-1 through OR-4

Officers

The highest officer's rank is OF-9 (Admiral) which is reserved for the Chief of Defence (only when this seat is occupied by a naval officer). The Prince Consort of Denmark held the rank of Admiral (à la suite). Similarly, OF-8 (Vice-admiral) is reserved for the Vice Chief of Defence). OF-7 (Kontreadmiral) is used by the Chief of the Royal Danish Navy and OF-6 (Flotilleadmiral) by the chief of Danish Task Group as well as keepers of high-office positions. OF-4 and OF-5 are mainly chiefs of squadrons, schools and larger vessels. OF-1 through OF-3 are used in a variety of positions.

NATO code	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		OF(D)
Royal Danish Navy ^[3] v t e
Royal Danish Navy ^[3] v t e	Admiral	Viceadmiral	Kontreadmiral	Flotilleadmiral	Kommandør	Kommandørkaptajn	Orlogskaptajn	Kaptajnløjtnant	Premierløjtnant	Løjtnant
Medical^[3]
Medical^[3]				Generallæge	Stabslæge I Stabstandlæge I Stabsdyrlæge I	Stabslæge II Stabstandlæge II Stabsdyrlæge II	Overlæge Overtandlæge Overdyrlæge Afdelingslæge Afdelingstandlæge Afdelingsdyrlæge	Reservelæge I Reservetandlæge I Reservedyrlæge I	Reservelæge II Reservetandlæge II Reservedyrlæge II	Reservelæge III Reservetandlæge III Reservedyrlæge III
Danish Pay Grade^[2]	M406	M405	M404	M403	M402	M401	M332 M331 M322	M321	M312	M311	M310

Rank flags

Rank	Admiral	Viceadmiral	Kontreadmiral	Flotilleadmiral	Eskadrechef
1858–1882				—
1882–
–1979
1979–present

Enlisted

The Danish OR's also follow the NATO system, though there are no OR-6's. OR-4 (Korporal) is the highest of the M100-level ranks is and not considered a NCO-rank.

NATO code	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-5		OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Royal Danish Navy ^[3] v t e
Royal Danish Navy ^[3] v t e	Chefsergent	Seniorsergent	Oversergent	Sergent	Sergent SØ	Korporal	Marinespecialist	Marineoverkonstabel	Marinekonstabel
Danish Pay Grade^[2]	M232	M231	M221	M212	M211	M113	M112

Additional ranks

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-1
Rank
Danish	Søværnschefsergent	Myndighedschefsergent	Myndighedsseniorsergent	Stampersonel SØ	Værnepligtig SØ

English	Master chief petty officer of the Navy	Command master chief petty officer	Command senior chief petty officer	Junior rating/Trainee	Conscript

Other rank insignia
Seniormekaniker
(Senior leading Mechanic)
Overmekaniker af 1. grad
(Leading Mechanic 1st class)
Overmekaniker af 2. grad
(Leading Mechanic 2nd class)
Mekaniker
(Mechanic)

The Branch of Service logos are placed in the middle of the ranks, to signify the service.

Branch of Service
Våben, Artilleri
(Gunner)
Våben, Torpedo
(Torpedo)
Kommunikation
(Communication)

Naval Chaplains

Clerical personnel
Naval Dean
Naval Chaplain

Historical ranks

The sleeve insignia was first introduced in the Royal Navy in 1871 and was based around the British Royal Navy.^[4] In order to become more standard, the admiral ranks were changed in 1951.^[5]

Timeline of changes

Order of precedence

Rank group	First class			Second class	Third class	Fourth class	Fifth class	Sixth class	Seventh class	Eighth class
1671–1680^[6]	Rigs-Admiral	General-Admiral			Admiral	Vice-Admiral
1680–1693
1693–1699^[7]		General-Admiral	General-Admiral-Lieutenant		Admiral	Vice-Admiral	Schout by Nacht	Commandeur-Capitain til Søes
1699–1717
1717–1730^[8]		General-Admiral	General-Admiral-Lieutenant	Admiral	Vice-Admiral	Schout by Nacht	Commandeur til Søes	Commandeur-Capitain til Søes	Capitain	Premier Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant
Rank group	First class			Second class	Third class	Fourth class	Fifth class	Sixth class	Seventh class	Eighth class

Modern ranks

Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers			Junior officers					Officer cadet
1858–1868^[9]
1858–1868^[9]		Admiral	Viceadmiral	Kontreadmiral				Orlogskaptajn	Kaptajnløjtnant	Løjtnant
1868–1871^[10]
1868–1871^[10]		Admiral				Kommandør			Kaptajn	Premierløjtnant		Sekondløjtnant
1871–1880^[11]
1871–1880^[11]		Admiral				Kommandør			Kaptajn	Premierløjtnant		Sekondløjtnant
1909–1922^[12]
1909–1922^[12]		Admiral	Viceadmiral	Kontreadmiral		Kommandør			Kaptajn	Premierløjtnant	Løjtnant		Sekondløjtnant
1922–1937^[13]
1922–1937^[13]		Admiral	Viceadmiral	Kontreadmiral		Kommandør	Kommandørkaptajn	Orlogskaptajn	Kaptajnløjtnant	Søløjtnant af 1. grad		Søløjtnant af 2. grad
1937–1951
1937–1951		Admiral	Viceadmiral	Kontreadmiral		Kommandør	Kommandørkaptajn	Orlogskaptajn	Kaptajnløjtnant	Premierløjtnant		Løjtnant		Søløjtnant II
1951–1970
1951–1970		Admiral	Viceadmiral	Kontreadmiral		Kommandør	Kommandørkaptajn	Orlogskaptajn	Kaptajnløjtnant	Premierløjtnant		Løjtnant		Søløjtnant II
1970–2000
1970–2000		Admiral	Viceadmiral	Kontreadmiral	Flotilleadmiral	Kommandør	Kommandørkaptajn	Orlogskaptajn	Kaptajnløjtnant	Premierløjtnant		Løjtnant		Søløjtnant II
2000–2011
2000–2011		Admiral	Viceadmiral	Kontreadmiral	Flotilleadmiral	Kommandør	Kommandørkaptajn	Orlogskaptajn	Kaptajnløjtnant	Premierløjtnant		Løjtnant
2011–present
2011–present		Admiral	Viceadmiral	Kontreadmiral	Flotilleadmiral	Kommandør	Kommandørkaptajn	Orlogskaptajn	Kaptajnløjtnant	Premierløjtnant		Løjtnant
NATO code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1				OF(D)	Student officer

Other ranks

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
1959–1962^[14]
1959–1962^[14]							Chief Petty Officer 1st Class		Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class								Petty Officer			Student Petty Officer			Leading Seaman 1st Class				Leading Seaman 2nd Class		Able Seaman 1st Class						Able Seaman 2nd Class

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References

↑ Danish Ministry of Defence Personnel Agency (23 March 2022). "Selvvalgt afsked og TUL". forpers.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
1 2 3 "Historik" [History]. forpers.dk (in Danish). Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
1 2 3 "Søværnets Gradstegn" (PDF). forsvaret.dk (in Danish). Danish Defence. October 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
↑ Balsved, Johnny (25 March 2006). "Uniformshistorie" [Uniform History]. Navalhistory.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 6 May 2018.
↑ Balsved, Johnny (22 March 2008). "Distinktioner og gradstegn" [Rank Insignia]. Navalhistory.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 6 May 2018.
↑ danmarkshistorien.dk (17 May 2017). "Rangforordningen, 25. maj 1671" (in Danish). danmarkshistorien.dk. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
↑ danmarkshistorien.dk (21 June 2016). "Rangforordningen, 11. februar 1693" (in Danish). danmarkshistorien.dk. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
↑ Ilsøe, Lars. "Holberg og rangvæsenet". holbergsskrifter.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 4 November 2023.
↑ Borg 1974, pp. 57–60.
↑ Borg 1974, p. 61.
↑ Borg 1974, pp. 61–64.
↑ Borg 1974, pp. 75, 180.
↑ Borg 1974, p. 76.
↑ United States Department of the Army (1962). "Military Uniforms - DA Pam 355-120 - 1959 to 1962 - Part 2". Archive.org. Retrieved 9 October 2021.

Borg, Erik (1974). Den Danske Marines Uniformer Gennem Tre Århundreder[Uniforms of the Danish Navy Through Three Centuries] (in Danish). Strubes Forlag. ISBN 87 7508 1644.
Badges of Rank for the Royal Danish Navy, 2016
Badges of Rank for the Royal Danish Navy, 2016 (in Danish)
Heraldry of the RDN (in Danish)

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[1] Danish Ministry of Defence Personnel Agency (23 March 2022). "Selvvalgt afsked og TUL". forpers.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2023.

[forpers-2] 1 2 3 "Historik" [History]. forpers.dk (in Danish). Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2018.

[Denmark_Navy-3] 1 2 3 "Søværnets Gradstegn" (PDF). forsvaret.dk (in Danish). Danish Defence. October 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2023.

[4] Balsved, Johnny (25 March 2006). "Uniformshistorie" [Uniform History]. Navalhistory.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 6 May 2018.

[5] Balsved, Johnny (22 March 2008). "Distinktioner og gradstegn" [Rank Insignia]. Navalhistory.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 6 May 2018.

[6] rkshistorien.dk (17 May 2017). "Rangforordningen, 25. maj 1671" (in Danish). danmarkshistorien.dk. Retrieved 15 March 2021.

[7] rkshistorien.dk (21 June 2016). "Rangforordningen, 11. februar 1693" (in Danish). danmarkshistorien.dk. Retrieved 29 July 2023.

[8] Ilsøe, Lars. "Holberg og rangvæsenet". holbergsskrifter.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 4 November 2023.

[FOOTNOTEBorg197457–60-9] Borg 1974, pp. 57–60.

[FOOTNOTEBorg197461-10] Borg 1974, p. 61.

[FOOTNOTEBorg197461–64-11] Borg 1974, pp. 61–64.

[FOOTNOTEBorg197475,_180-12] Borg 1974, pp. 75, 180.

[FOOTNOTEBorg197476-13] Borg 1974, p. 76.

[US_Department_of_the_Army-14] United States Department of the Army (1962). "Military Uniforms - DA Pam 355-120 - 1959 to 1962 - Part 2". Archive.org. Retrieved 9 October 2021.

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