Lieutenant general

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.

Not to be confused with lieutenant colonel general.
Comparative military ranks in English
Armies Navies Air forces
Commissioned officers
Field marshal or
General of the army		 Admiral of
the fleet		 Marshal of
the air force
General Admiral Air chief marshal
Lieutenant general Vice admiral Air marshal
Major general Rear admiral Air vice-marshal
Brigadier or
brigadier general		 Commodore Air commodore
Colonel Captain Group captain
Lieutenant colonel Commander Wing commander
Major or
commandant		 Lieutenant
commander		 Squadron leader
Captain Lieutenant Flight lieutenant
Lieutenant or
first lieutenant		 Lieutenant
junior grade or
sub-lieutenant		 Flying officer
Second lieutenant Ensign or
midshipman		 Pilot officer
Officer cadet Officer cadet Flight cadet
Enlisted grades
Warrant officer or
sergeant major		 Warrant officer or
chief petty officer		 Warrant officer
Sergeant Petty officer Sergeant
Corporal or
bombardier		 Leading seaman Corporal
Private or
gunner or
trooper		 Seaman Aircraftman or
airman

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, 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

Army ranks

Air force ranks

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)
  • (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)
  • Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Italy)
  • Rikushō (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force)
  • Kūshō(Japan Air Self-Defense Force)
  • Генерал-потпуковник (Serbian Army)
  • Генерал-потпуковник (Serbian Air Force)

Other Lieutenant general ranks
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See also

References
  1. http://www.gov.bw/en/Ministries--Authorities/Ministries/State-President/Botswana-Defence-Force-BDF/About-the-BDF1/Ranks-and-Insignia/ Archived 2016-08-26 at the Wayback Machine
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