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French Navy
Command
Naval Ministers Maritime Prefect
Components
Naval Action Force Submarine Forces FOST ESNA Naval Aviation FORFUSCO Marine Commandos Naval Fusiliers Maritime Gendarmerie
Equipment
Current fleet Current deployments
Personnel
Ranks in the French Navy
History
History of the French Navy Future of the French Navy Ensigns and pennants Historic ships Battleships Cruisers Destroyers Submarines Ships of the line Sail frigates Historic fleets
Awards
Cross of War Military Medal Legion of Honour Ribbons
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Therank insignia of theFrench Navy (French:Marine Nationale) are worn on shoulder straps of shirts and white jackets, and on sleeves for navy jackets and mantels. Until 2005, onlycommissioned officers had an anchor on their insignia, butenlisted personnel are now receiving them as well. Although the names of the ranks for superior officers contain the word "Capitaine" (Capitaine de corvette,Capitaine de frégate andCapitaine de vaisseau), the appropriate style to address them is "Commandant", "Capitaine" referring to "lieutenant de vaisseau", which is translated as lieutenant. The two highest ranks,Vice-amiral d'escadre andAmiral (Admiral), are functions, rather than ranks. They are assumed by officers rankingVice-amiral (Vice-Admiral).

The rank of Vice-Admiral ofFrance (French:Vice-Amiral) was formerly designated asLieutenant-General of the Naval Armies until 1791, such as in theLevant Fleet andFlotte du Ponant of the Ancien Régime.Major of theFrench Navy has a similar history to that of the former Lieutenant-General of the Naval Armies.

The onlyAmiral de la Flotte (Admiral of the Fleet) wasFrançois Darlan after he was refused the dignity ofAdmiral of France. Equivalent to the dignity ofMarshal of France, the rank of Admiral of France remains theoretical in theFifth Republic; it was last granted in 1869, during theSecond Empire, but retained during theThird Republic until the death of its bearer in 1873. The title ofAmiral de la Flotte was created so that Darlan would not have an inferior rank to that of his counterpart in the BritishRoyal Navy, who was anAdmiral of the Fleet.

The insignia below depict the configuration on shoulder boards. Shoulder straps are slightly different, notably without the golden frame for general officers.

NATO rank	Rank insignia		Name
	Shoulder	Sleeve	French	English translation
OF-10			Amiral de France	Admiral of France

NATO rank	Rank insignia			Name
	Shoulder	Sleeve	Flag	French	English translation
OF-9				Amiral	Admiral
OF-8				Vice-Amiral d'escadre	Squadron vice-admiral
OF-7				Vice-Amiral	Vice-admiral
OF-6				Contre-Amiral	Counter admiral

NATO rank	Rank insignia		Name
	Shoulder	Sleeve	French	English translation
OF-5			Capitaine de vaisseau	Ship-of-the-line captain
OF-4			Capitaine de frégate	Frigate Captain
OF-3			Capitaine de corvette	Corvette Captain

NATO rank	Rank insignia		Name
	Shoulder	Sleeve	French	English translation
OF-2			Lieutenant de vaisseau	Ship-of-the-line lieutenant
OF-1			Enseigne de vaisseau de première classe	Ship-of-the-lineensign, first class
			Enseigne de vaisseau de deuxième classe	Ship-of-the-lineensign, second class
OF-(D)			Aspirant	Midshipman

NATO rank	Rank insignia		Name
	Shoulder	Sleeve	French	English translation
OR-9			Major	Major
			Maître-principal	Principal master
OR-8			Premier-maître	First master
OR-6			Maître	Master
OR-5			Second-maître	Second master

NATO rank	Rank insignia		Name
	Shoulder	Sleeve	French	English translation
OR-4			Quartier-maître de 1re classe	Quartermaster first class
OR-3			Quartier-maître de 2e classe	Quartermaster second class
OR-2			Matelot 2ème and 1ère classe	Able seaman
OR-1			Mousse	Seaman

Personnel with a particular attribution may wear distinctive features on their rank insignia. For instance, medical officers bear two red stripes on their insignia. Similarly, theIngénieur des études et techniques de travaux maritimes wear pearl-grey stripes.

Peintres de la Marine, who are not employed by the navy but have a special status, wear a uniform and officer straps with rank insignia replaced with the words "Peintre officiel".

• 
  Capitaine de vaisseau
  Captain of the Vessel
  (Captain)
• 
  Chief Surgeon First Class
• 
  Chief engineer first class
• 
  Peintre de la Marine
• 
  Chief War Commissar First Class

Chief Military Chaplain
Deputy Chief Military Chaplain
Regional military chaplain
Military chaplain

• Vice-amiral de France (Vice Admiral of France)
• Lieutenant général des armées navales
• Chef d'escadre
• Brigadier des armées navales andChef de division
• Major de vaisseau
• Capitaine de vaisseau et de port
• Lieutenant de vaisseau et de port
• Capitaine de brûlot
• Lieutenant de frégate
• Capitaine de flûte
• Sous-lieutenant de vaisseau
• Sous-lieutenant de port
• Enseigne de vaisseau non entretenu
• Élèves de la Marine
• Garde de la marine
• Maître amiral
• Maître vice-amiral
• Contre maître
• Aide pilote
• Second maître appelés
• Second maître de 1re classe
• Second maître de 2e classe
• Quartier-maitre-chef de carrière

• French Navy

• French Navy officers
• Military ranks of France
• Military insignia
• French Navy lists

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