 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Kapitänleutnant" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(June 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Captain lieutenant Kapitänleutnant | |
|---|---|
   shoulder board / cuff title / mounting loop | |
| Country |  Germany |
| Service branch |  German Navy |
| Abbreviation | KptLt |
| Rank | Commissioned officer |
| NATOrank code | OF-2 |
| Non-NATO rank | A11 or A12 |
| Next higher rank | Stabskapitänleutnant Korvettenkapitän |
| Next lower rank | Oberleutnant zur See |
| Equivalent ranks | Hauptmann |
Kapitänleutnant, short:KptLt/in lists:KL, (English:captain lieutenant orlieutenant captain) is an officer grade of the captains' military hierarchy group (German:Hauptleute) of the modern GermanBundeswehr. The rank is ratedOF-2[1] inNATO, and equivalent toHauptmann in theHeer andLuftwaffe. It is grade A11 or A12 in the pay rules of theFederal Ministry of Defence.
The rank first appeared in theGerman Empire and continued in use through the Weimar Republic and into theThird Reich.
In line with ZDv 10/8, the formal manner of addressing people with the rankKapitänleutnant is "Herr/Frau Kapitänleutnant". However, in German tradition and in line with seamen's language, the title is abbreviated to "Herr/Frau Kaleu" in verbal communication (contemporary usage, pronounced "Ka'loy"). Historically, in theWehrmacht, the abbreviation spoken was "Herr Kaleun".
TheUnited States Navy's rank oflieutenant is equal toKapitänleutnant in NATO's military hierarchy (classed as OF-2). However, German NavyKapitänleutnant might be assigned to the so-called "line officer career" (de: Truppendienstlaufbahn or Truppendienstoffizier) or "officer specialist career" (de: Fachdienstlaufbahn or Fachdienstoffizier, officially: Offizier des militärfachlichen Dienstes).
Its rank insignia, worn on the sleeves and shoulders, are one golden five-pointed star above two golden stripes with one half stripes between them (without the star when rank loops are worn).
AKapitänleutnant (line officer) may command smaller ships (e.g. submarine class 206A, minehunter class 332) or serve as principal warfare officer on larger warships, giving the rank responsibilities more along those of aLieutenant commander in the U.S. or Royal navies.
| junior Rank Oberleutnant zur See |  German Navy officer rank (Line officer career) | senior Rank Korvettenkapitän (Line officer grad) |
| Kapitänleutnant (Hauptmann) |
The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:
Kapitänleutnant might be a senior officer specialistrank, comparable to USwarrant officer, however, junior toStabskapitänleutnant.Military people of the "line officer career" skip over the rankStabskapitänleutnant, by regular promotion fromKapitänleutnant (OF-2) toKorvettenkapitän (OF-3).
| junior rank Oberleutnant zur See | German Navy officer rank (Warrant officer career)' | senior rank Stabskapitänleutnant |
| Kapitänleutnant (Hauptmann) |
The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows: