Captain (naval)

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For information specifically on the Royal Navy rank of captain, see Captain (Royal Navy).

Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel.

The equivalent rank in many navies is Ship-of-the-Line Captain. Other equivalent ranks in other navies notably include Captain of Sea and War or Captain at Sea.

[edit] Role

The command of a ship is most often given to the naval rank (equivalent to a commissioned officer between commander (OF-4) and commodore or rear admiral (OF-6)). The Polish Navy is, however, a notable exception naval captain in position of Lieutenant or Captain Lieutenant and OF-5 rank being a "commander" (komandor). The naval rank should not be confused with the army, air force or marine rank of captain, which has a NATO code of OF-2.

[edit] Title

Any naval officer below the rank of captain who commands a ship, is addressed as "captain" while aboard that ship, by naval custom. The ship's captain also may be referred to as the Skipper. A naval officer with the rank of captain traveling aboard a vessel he does not command is either never referred to by rank, or in some navies, is addressed as Commodore to avoid confusion with the ship's actual commander. The ship's commander remains in charge of the entire ship. Passengers who would otherwise outrank the ship's commander cannot override the commander in matters of directing the ship's operations.

Historically, throughout the Middle Ages, the Navy was an ad-hoc group of ships contracted for the duration of a given conflict and disbanded thereafter. The ship's Master, who would command the ship during peacetime, would also remain in control of all things nautical during wartime. The Captain was merely the commander of the embarked infantry contingent upon the ship, who with the help of his lieutenants would act as the agent of the king--and hence de facto commander--while the ship was contracted with the Navy. During Tudor times, the title of Captain began to refer to the commander of a ship of the Royal Navy, once that organization became established on an ongoing basis and maintained a standing fleet.

As a matter of etiquette in the U.S. Navy there is only one captain aboard a vessel. If a Marine Corps captain is at the officer's mess, he or she is given the courtesy title of major to be differentiated from the head of the ship.

[edit] Commands

Captains with sea commands generally command ships of cruiser size or larger. The more senior the officer, the larger the ship. Commanders of aircraft carriers can be rear admirals, but generally, ship commanders are of captain rank or lower. Also, many captains are either retired or have desk jobs.

v • d • e Commissioned Officer ranks of the British Armed Forces
	Student Officer	OF(D)	OF-1		OF-2	OF-3	OF-4	OF-5	OF-6	OF-7	OF-8	OF-9	OF-10
Royal Navy	OC	Mid	SLt		Lt	Lt Cdr	Cdr	Capt	Cdre	RAdm	VAdm	Adm	Adm of the Fleet
Royal Marines			2Lt	Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig	Maj-Gen	Lt Gen	Gen
Army	O Cdt		2Lt	Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig	Maj-Gen	Lt Gen	Gen	FM
Royal Air Force	OC		APO / Plt Off	Fg Off	Flt Lt	Sqn Ldr	Wg Cdr	Gp Capt	Air Cdre	AVM	Air Mshl	Air Chf Mshl	MRAF

v • d • e U.S. officer and officer candidate ranks
	Officer Candidate	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7	O-8	O-9	O-10	Special	Special
	(no universal insignia)												(no authorized insignia)
Air Force:	CDT/OT	2nd Lt	1st Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig Gen	Maj Gen	Lt Gen	Gen	GOAF[1][4]	[2]
Army:	CDT/OC	2LT	1LT	CPT	MAJ	LTC	COL	BG	MG	LTG	GEN	GA[1][4]	General of the Armies[1][4]
Marine Corps:	Midn/Cand	2ndLt	1stLt	Capt	Maj	LtCol	Col	BGen	MajGen	LtGen	Gen	[2]	[2]
Navy:	MIDN/OC	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	RDML	RADM	VADM	ADM	FADM[1][4]	Admiral of the Navy[1][4]
Coast Guard:	CDT	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	RDML	RADM	VADM	ADM	[2]	[2]
PHSCC:	[2]	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	RDML	RADM	VADM	ADM	[2]	[2]
NOAA Corps:	[2]	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	RDML	RADM	VADM[1][4]	[3]	[2]	[2]
Grade inactive [1] Grade never created [2] Grade is authorized for use by U.S. Code but has not been created [3] Grade requires Congressional approval for re-activation [4]

v • d • e U.S. warrant officer ranks
	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
Air Force:	WO-1[1]	CWO-2[1]	CWO-3[1]	CWO-4[1]	CWO-5[1]
Army:	WO1	CW2	CW3	CW4	CW5
Marine Corps:	WO-1	CWO-2	CWO-3	CWO-4	CWO-5
Navy:	WO-1[1]	CWO-2	CWO-3	CWO-4	CWO-5
Coast Guard:	[3]	CWO-2	CWO-3	CWO-4	[3]
PHSCC:	[3]	[3]	[3]	[3]	[2]
NOAA Corps:	[2]	[2]	[2]	[2]	[2]
Grade inactive [1] Grade never created [2] Grade is authorized for use by U.S. Code but has not been created [3]

Captain insignia of Royal Navy

Insignia of a U.S. Navy Captain

Captain(N) of the Canadian Forces