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Lieutenant general or lieutenant-general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a captain general.
In modern armies, lieutenant general normally ranks immediately below general and above major general; it is equivalent to the navy rank of vice admiral, and in air forces with a separate rank structure, it is equivalent to air marshal. A lieutenant general commands an army corps, made up of typically three army divisions, and consisting of around 60,000–70,000 soldiers (U.S.).
The seeming incongruity that a lieutenant general outranks a major general (whereas a major outranks a lieutenant) is due to the derivation of the former rank from sergeant major general, which was also subordinate to lieutenant general. In some countries (e.g. France and Italy), the ranks of corps general or lieutenant colonel general are used instead of lieutenant general, in an attempt to solve this apparent anomaly – these ranks are often translated into English as lieutenant general.
However, some countries of Latin America such as Brazil and Chile use divisional general as the equivalent of lieutenant general. In addition, because no brigadier general rank is used in Japan and Taiwan, lieutenant general is the rank of divisional commander. Therefore, it corresponds to divisional general of these countries. In a number of smaller states which employ NATO and western style military organizational structures, because of the limited number of soldiers in their armies, the rank of lieutenant general is the highest army rank in use. In Latvia, Lithuania and Singapore, the chief of defence is a lieutenant general, and in the Irish Defence Forces and Israel Defense Forces, the Chief of Staff holds this rank.
Lieutenant general ranks by country
- Lieutenant general (Algeria)
- Lieutenant general (Australia)
- Teniente general (Argentina)
- Lieutenant general (Bangladesh)
- General-pukovnik (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
- Lieutenant general (Botswana)[1]
- General de Divisão (Brazil)
- Генерал-лейтенант ("General-leytenant"; Bulgaria)
- Lieutenant-general (Canada)
- zhong jiang (China and Taiwan)
- General pukovnik (Croatia)
- Generálporučík (Czech Republic)
- Generalløjtnant (Denmark)
- Kindralleitnant (Estonia)
- Kenraaliluutnantti (Finland)
- Général de corps d'armée in the French Armed Forces, including the French Air Force since 1939. Prior officially, Général de division for the French Army and Vice-Amiral for the French Navy since 1791, formerly designated as Lieutenant-General of France. (France)
- გენერალ ლეიტენანტი ("general leitenanti") (Georgia)
- Generalleutnant (Germany)
- Αντιστράτηγος (Greek Army Antistrátigos, vice general)
- Altábornagy (Hungary)
- Lieutenant General (India)
- Letnan Jenderal (Indonesia)
- Sepahbod (Iran)
- Leifteanant-Ghinearál (Republic of Ireland)
- Rav Aluf (Israel)
- Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Italy)
- Gjenerallejtenant (Kosovo)
- Ģenerālleitnants (Latvia)
- Generolas leitenantas (Lithuania)
- Генерал потполковник (general potpolkovnik) (North Macedonia)
- Luitenant-generaal (Netherlands)
- Lieutenant General (Nigeria)
- Generalløytnant (Norway)
- Lieutenant general (Pakistan)
- Tenyente heneral (Philippines)
- Generał broni (Poland)
- Tenente-general (Portugal)
- General de corp de armată (Romania) (see Général de corps d'armée (Fr))
- Генерал-лейтенант ("General-leytenant"; Russia Empire, Soviet Union, and Russian Federation)
- Генерал-потпуковник ("general potpukovnik") (Serbia)
- Teniente general (Spain)
- Lieutenant general (Sri Lanka)
- Generallöjtnant (Sweden)
- Korpskommandant / Commandant de corps / Comandante di corpo (Switzerland)
- Pol tho ("พลโท") (Thailand)
- Korgeneral (Turkey)
- Lieutenant general (United Kingdom)
- Lieutenant general (United States)
- Trung tướng (Vietnam)
- Lieutenant general (Zimbabwe)
Army ranks
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Dagar Jenral
(Afghan National Army)
Teniente General
(Argentine Army)
Generalleutnant
(Austrian Army)
Lieutenant general
(Bangladesh Army)
Lt général / Lt generaal
(Belgian Land Component)
Lieutenant general
(Bosnian Army)
Генерал-лейтенант
(Bulgarian Army)
Lieutenant general
(Canadian Army)
Teninete General
(Chilean Army) Abolished in 2002
Zhong Jiang
(People's Liberation Army)
General pukovnik
(Croatian Army)
Generálporučík
(Czech Army)
Generalløjtnant
(Royal Danish Army)
Lieutenant general -فريق
(Egyptian Army)
Kindralleitnant
(Estonian Land Forces)
Kenraaliluutnantti / generallöjtnant
(Finnish Army)
გენერალ ლეიტენანტი
(Georgian Defense Forces)
Αντιστράτηγος
(Greek Army)
Altábornagy
(Hungarian Army)
Lieutenant general
(Indian Army)
Letnan Jenderal
(Indonesian Army)
Sepahbad
(Iranian Army)
Sepahbad
(Iranian Corps)
Leifteanant-ghinearál
Irish Army
Gjenerallejtnant
Kosovo Security Forces
Генерал потполковник (general potpolkovnik)
(Army of the Republic of North Macedonia)
Luitenant-generaal
(Royal Netherlands Army)
Generalløytnant
(Royal Norwegian Army)
Lieutenant general
(Pakistan Army)
Tenyente Heneral
(Philippine Army)
Generał broni
(Polish Army)
Tenente-general
(Portuguese Army)
Генера́л-лейтена́нт
(Russian Armed Forces)
Lieutenant General
(Singapore Armed Forces)
Teniente general
(Spanish Army)
Generallöjtnant
(Swedish Army)
Korpskommandant / Commandant de corps / Comandante di corpo
(Swiss Armed Forces).svg.gif)
Pol tho
(Royal Thai Army)
Korgeneral
(Turkish Land Forces)
Генерал-лейтенант
(Ukrainian Army).svg.gif)
Lieutenant general
(United States Army)
Trung tướng
(Vietnam People's Army)
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Air force ranks
Lieutenant général / Luitenant-generaal
(Belgian Air Component)
Генерал-лейтенант
(Bulgarian Air Force)
Generalløjtnant
(Royal Danish Air Force)
Teniente general
(Ecuadorian Air Force)Kenraaliluutnantti / Generallöjtnant
(Finnish Air Force)
გენერალ ლეიტენანტი
(Georgian Air Force)
Luitenant-generaal
(Royal Netherlands Air Force)
Tenyente heneral
(Philippine Air Force)
Generał broni
(Polish Air Force)
Tenente-general
(Portuguese Air Force)
Генера́л-лейтена́нт
(Russian Aerospace Forces)
Teniente-general
(Spanish Air Force)
Generallöjtnant
(Swedish Air Force)
Korgeneral
(Turkish Air Force)
Генерал-лейтенант
(Ukrainian Air Force)
Lieutenant general
(United States Air Force)
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Ukrainian Marine corps
(Генерал-лейтенант)
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Lieutenant general equivalent ranks
- General-de-Divisão (Brasil)
- General de División (Chile)
- General pukovnik (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Général de corps d'armée (France - armée de terre or gendarmerie nationale), général de corps aérien (France, armée de l'air)
- Sepah-Bod (Iran)
- Rav Aluf (Israel)
- Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Italy)
- Rikugun-Chūjō (陸軍中将 (IJA)), Rikushō (陸将), and Kūshō (空将)(JSDF,three-star rank) (Japan)
- Chungjang (North Korea)
- Jungjang (South Korea)
- General de División (México)
- Generał broni (Poland)
- Farig فريق (Saudi Arabia - Egypt )
- (General-potpukovnik) Генерал-потпуковник (Serbia)
- Generalpodpolkovnik (Slovenia)
- Korpskommandant/Commandant de corps (Switzerland)
- Trung tướng and Phó Đô đốc (Vietnam)
General-de-Divisão (Brazilian Army)
Major Brigadeiro (Brazilian Air Force)
Général de corps d'armée (French Army) featuring 4 stars instead of the typical 3 stars
Rav Aluf (Israel)
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Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Italy)
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Rikushō (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force)
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Kūshō(Japan Air Self-Defense Force)
Генерал-потпуковник (Serbian Army)
Генерал-потпуковник (Serbian Air Force)
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Other Lieutenant general ranks
- Gruppenführer (Waffen-SS)
- Feldmarschallleutnant (Austro-Hungarian Army)
- Korpskommandant (Swiss Army)
See also
- British and United States military ranks compared
- Comparative military ranks
- Israel Defense Forces ranks
- List of lieutenant generals in the United States Army before 1960
References
External links
Media related to Lieutenant generals at Wikimedia Commons
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