Admiral (Sweden)

Admiral (Adm) (, Am) is a four-star commissioned naval officer rank in the Swedish Navy. Admiral ranks immediately above vice admiral and is equivalent to general.

History

In Sweden, the admiral's rank first appeared during the reign of Gustav I, who in 1522 gave it to Erik Fleming, a Council of the Realm. During Gustav's reign as king and throughout the latter part of the 16th century, the highest command of a fleet was led by a ("colonel admiral"), to whose assistant a was appointed. It was not until 1569 that a permanent was appointed; In 1602 the title was exchanged for (" Admiral of the Realm"). The first permanent was appointed in 1575; his office ceased in 1619. Vice admiral is first mentioned in 1577. The admirals of the Swedish Navy have, incidentally, been as follows: (" general admiral"), (" admiral general"), ("grand admiral"), , ("Vice Admiral of the Realm"), ("admiral lieutenant general"), (" lieutenant admiral"), and ("rear admiral"). As names for special positions, there has been: ("commanding admiral"), ("shipyard admiral"), ("islet admiral") and ("shipyard admiral").

Admiral is equivalent to the rank of general in the Swedish Army, the Swedish Air Force, the Swedish Coastal Artillery (until 2000) and as well as in the Swedish Amphibious Corps (from 2000). Historically, during the 20th century, vice admirals were promoted one grade upon retirement to full four-star admiral. The last time this happened was in 1991 when vice admiral Bror Stefenson was promoted to admiral in connection with his retirement from the navy. According to current practice only royals and the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, if he were to come from the Swedish Navy, can hold the rank of a full, four-star, admiral in Sweden.

Following a proposal from the Swedish Armed Forces, the Government of Sweden decides on employment as an admiral.

In everyday speech, admirals of all ranks are addressed as admirals.

Uniform

Shoulder mark

The shoulder mark of a Swedish admiral contains a 45 mm galloon m/51 and four 25 mm star m/30 in silver embroidery on a white background: The center distance between the stars on the shoulder mark must be 27 mm.

File:OF-9 Amiral FL hylsa.jpg, Shoulder mark of a Swedish admiral (1972–present)
File:OF-8_Viceamiral_FL_hylsa.jpg, Shoulder mark of a Swedish admiral (1878–1972)

Sleeve insignia

A flag officer wears on the sleeves a 45 mm galloon (''GALON M/51 45MM K'') and a rank insignia (''GRADBETECKNING M/02 TILL ÄRM FLOTTAN'') (round loop, the Amphibious Corps has a pointed loop in form of a grenade).

File:OF-9 Amiral FL arm.jpg, Sleeve insignia for an admiral (2003–present)
File:Carlos Gustavo da Suécia (corpo inteiro).jpg, Carl XVI Gustaf with current sleeve insignia for an admiral (2003–present)

File:OF-9_Amiral_FL_ärm_pre-2003.jpg, Sleeve insignia for an admiral (1972–2003)
File:Bengt Schuback och kung Carl XVI Gustaf V116746 (cropped).jpg, Carl XVI Gustaf with old sleeve insignia for an admiral (1972–2003)
File:OF-8 Viceamiral FL ärm pre-2003.jpg, Sleeve insignia for an admiral (1878–1972)
File:Jacka m78 (1878) med långbyxor och väst för amiral MM 22972.jpg, Jacket m/78 (1878) with long trousers and vest for admiral. Has been carried by Admiral Åke Lindemalm.

Hats

Peaked cap

A flag officer wears as embellishments a gold embroidered oak leaf wreath (known as scrambled egg) on the visor of the peaked cap (''skärmmössa m/48''). It also fitted with a hat badge (''mössmärke m/78 off för flottan'') and with a strap in form of a golden braid.

File:Ericson, Stig Hson (1955).jpg, Peaked cap model 1948 worn by Stig H:son Ericson.
File:Mössmärke m78 FL Officer.png, Cap badge
File:Amiralsuniform Oscar II - Livrustkammaren - 5368.tif, Admiral's uniform. Once owned by King Oscar II and preserved at Livrustkammaren.
File:Mössa till amiralsuniform (Oscar II) - Livrustkammaren - 56737.tif, Admiral's peaked cap, once belonging to King Oscar II.

Side cap and winter hat

An officer wears a hat badge (''mössmärke m/78 off'') for the navy and another (''mössmärke m/87 off'') for amphibious units on the side cap (''båtmössa m/48'') and on the winter hat (''vintermössa m/87'').

Personal flags

Admiral's command flag, which admirals of all ranks carry on ships, where they are as commanders. On a three-masted ship, an admiral's flag flies on top of the main mast (vice admiral's flies on the top of the fore-mast and rear admiral's on top of the mizzen-mast). The command flag of an admiral (and a general) is a double swallowtailed Swedish flag. In the first blue field 4 five-pointed white stars placed two over two (before 1972 by 3 stars placed one over two).

The flag of the admiral (and vice admiral and rear admiral) is flown on ships of the navy, from which officer of the rank now mentioned exercises his command, or on which he travels in the service, but not on ships on which he is in the capacity of exercise leader.

A flag officer (for example an admiral) who holds the position of Supreme Commander, Chief of Operations, Chief of Navy, Chief of Maritime Component Command or naval force commander, may carry an admiral flag on a car in which the commander in question travels in uniform. On airplanes/helicopters, vice admirals (flag officers) may carry a command sign in the form of an image of an admiral flag.

File:Naval Rank Flag of Sweden - Amiralsflagga.svg, Admiral/General
(1972–present)
File:Naval_Rank_Flag_of_Sweden_-_Viceamiralsflagga.svg, Admiral/General
(1905–1972)
File:Swedish command flag (1875-1905) - Admiral.svg, Admiral command flag
(1875–1905)
File:Swedish-Norwegian command flag (1815-1844) - Admiral.svg, Admiral command flag
(1836–1844)

Gun salute

When raising or lowering flags of the commander's, squadron, department or division commander, a gun salute is given with 17 rounds for admiral (15 for vice admiral and 13 for rear admiral).

List of admirals

The following have been promoted to the rank of admiral in the Swedish Navy between 1900 and .

See also

* List of admirals of Sweden
* Military ranks of the Swedish Armed Forces

Footnotes

References

Notes

Sources

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*{{cite encyclopedia , url=https://sok.riksarkivet.se/Sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=9943 , publisher=National Archives of Sweden , encyclopedia= Svenskt biografiskt lexikon , title=Otto E Lybeck , first=Alf , last=Åberg , year=1982–1984 , volume=24 , access-date=31 August 2023 , language=sv

Four-star officers
Military ranks of the Swedish Navy