Two-star rank
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/US-O8_insignia.svg/220px-US-O8_insignia.svg.png)
An officer of two-star rank is a senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO code of OF-7. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members. Typically, two-star officers hold the rank of rear admiral, counter admiral, major general, divisional general, or in the case of those air forces with a separate rank structure, air vice-marshal.
Australia[]
In the Australian Defence Force the following ranks of commissioned officers are awarded two-star ranks:
- Rear admiral (Royal Australian Navy two-star rank)
- Major general (Australian Army two-star rank)
- Air vice-marshal (Royal Australian Air Force two-star rank)
Bangladesh[]
- Air vice-marshal (Bangladesh Air Force two-star rank)
- Major-general (Bangladesh Army two-star rank)
- Rear admiral (Bangladesh Navy two-star rank)
Brazil[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Ins%C3%ADgnia_de_General_de_Brigada.gif/200px-Ins%C3%ADgnia_de_General_de_Brigada.gif)
- General de Brigada (Brazilian Army two-star rank)
- Contra Almirante (Brazilian Navy two-star rank)
- Brigadeiro (Brazilian Air Force two-star rank)
The two-star rank in Brazil is the first rank in a general career. The officers in this position are normally brigade commanders.
Canada[]
- Rear-admiral (French: contre-amiral; Royal Canadian Navy two-star-equivalent rank)
- Major general (French: major-général; Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force two-star-equivalent rank)
Rather than stars, the Canadian Forces insignia use maple leaves. The maple leaves appear with St. Edward's crown and crossed sabre and baton. Before unification, air vice marshal was the two-star rank for the RCAF.
Finland[]
![Finnish major general's shoulder insignia](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Kenraalimajuri_kauluslaatta.svg/200px-Kenraalimajuri_kauluslaatta.svg.png)
![Finnish navy rear admiral's shoulder board.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Kontra-amiraali_olkalaatta.svg/200px-Kontra-amiraali_olkalaatta.svg.png)
- kenraalimajuri, major general; equivalent rank in the Finnish Army and the Finnish Air Force
- kontra-amiraali, directly translates to counter admiral but often officially translated to rear admiral; equivalent rank in the Finnish Navy
Officers in the Finnish Border Guard may use either army or naval ranks depending on specialization.
Germany[]
The equivalent modern German two-star ranks (OF-7) of the Bundeswehr are as follows:
- Generalmajor and Konteradmiral
- Generalstabsarzt and Admiralstabsarzt
Not to be confused with Generalmajor and Vizeadmiral (one-star ranks; OF-6) of the Wehrmacht until 1945 and of the National People's Army of East Germany until German reunification in 1990.
India[]
- Air vice marshal (Indian Air Force two-star rank)
- Major general (Indian Army two-star rank)
- Rear admiral (Indian Navy two-star rank)
Indonesia[]
- Major jendral (major general) - Indonesian Army and Indonesian Marine Corps two-star rank
- Laksamana muda (rear admiral) - Indonesian Navy and Indonesian Maritime Security Agency two-star rank
- Marsekal muda (air vice marshal) - Indonesian Air Force two-star rank
Pakistan[]
- Major-general (Pakistan Army two-star rank)
- Air vice-marshal (Pakistan Air Force two-star rank)
- Rear admiral (Pakistan Navy two-star rank)
Philippines[]
- Major general (Philippine Army two-star rank)
- Major general (Philippine Air Force two-star rank)
- Rear admiral (Philippine Navy two-star rank)
- Rear admiral (Philippine Coast Guard two-star rank)
Sri Lanka[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/Maj_Gen._Chandrasekera_speech.jpg/260px-Maj_Gen._Chandrasekera_speech.jpg)
- Major General (Sri Lanka Army two-star rank)
- Air vice-marshal (Sri Lanka Air Force two-star rank)
- Rear admiral (Sri Lanka Navy two-star rank)
United Kingdom[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Nick_Carter_100309-D-7203C-020.jpg/130px-Nick_Carter_100309-D-7203C-020.jpg)
- Rear admiral (Royal Navy two-star rank)
- Major general (British Army and Royal Marines two-star rank)
- Air vice marshal (Royal Air Force two-star rank)[1]
United States[]
- Rear admiral (United States Navy, Coast Guard, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps two-star rank)
- Major general (United States Army, Marine Corps, Space Force and Air Force two-star rank)
USSR / Russian Federation[]
The introduction of general ranks in the USSR took place in 1940. The lowest general rank, major-general, had two stars on the buttonholes. With the introduction of the new insignia in 1942, the two-star general becomes a lieutenant-general (major-general began to wear one star on shoulder straps).
In the Russian and Soviet armies, the rank wearing two stars is lieutenant-general (Russian: Генерал-лейтенант), however the general in charge of a unit equivalent to the one led by a NATO two-star general (a division) is major-general (генерал-майор). This also applies to the air force, MVD, police, FSB and some others, and is caused by a Russian brigades being commanded by colonel, with the smallest unit commanded by a general being a division. In the navy, the equivalent rank is kontr-admiral (контр-адмирал).
See also[]
References[]
- ^ RAF Glossary Archived 2008-04-13 at the Wayback Machine
- Military ranks
- Two-star officers