The Military ranks of Albania are the military insignia used by the Albanian Armed Forces.

Current ranks (since 2011)

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

NATO code OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1
 Albanian Land Force[1]
Gjeneral lejtant Gjeneral major Gjeneral brigade Kolonel Nënkolonel Major Kapiten Toger Nëntoger
 Albanian Naval Force[2]
Admiral Nënadmiral Kundëradmiral Kapiten rangut I Kapiten rangut II Kapiten rangut III Kapiten Toger Nëntoger
 Albanian Air Force[3]
Gjeneral lejtant Gjeneral major Gjeneral brigade Kolonel Nënkolonel Major Kapiten Toger Nëntoger
NATO code OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

NATO code OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 OR-2 OR-1
 Albanian Land Force[1]
Kryekapter Kapter Rreshter Tetar Nëntetar Ushtar IV Ushtar III Ushtar II Ushtar I
 Albanian Naval Force[2]
Kryekapter Kapter Rreshter Tetar Nëntetar Ushtar IV Ushtar III Ushtar II Ushtar I
 Albanian Air Force[3]
Kryekapter Kapter Rreshter Tetar Nëntetar Ushtar IV Ushtar III Ushtar II Ushtar I
NATO code OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 OR-2 OR-1

History

See also: Military ranks of the Albanian Kingdom and Military ranks of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Albanian military insignia have undergone several periods during which their design changed radically.

The first ranks in the Albanian Armed Forces were formed in 1926 during the reign of King Zog I. His rule comprises two periods, the "Austrian" (1929-1936) and the "Prussian (generals) + Italian (other ranks)" style (1936-1939) of insignia.

During the time of Italian and German occupations of Albania their respective ranks were worn on Albanian militia uniforms.

After the Second World War, when the communist regime took power, military ranks were radically changed in looks and in naming. In the first years officers and generals wore sleeve insignia whose order was loosely based on that time's Yugoslav patterns. In 1947 a new model was introduced (both in Albania and Yugoslavia), where insignia and ranks came from the Soviet Union. This followed the traditions of Stalin's last years where insignia of all the Communist Bloc countries tended to uniformity. While most socialist countries abandoned this model soon after Stalin's death, Albania preserved it until May 1966, when military ranks were abolished altogether following Chinese example and based on doctrines of guerilla warfare.[4]

With the fall of the communist regime the military ranks were re-established in 1991 following a Western model. However, there were several crucial changes in their design (1991, 2004 and 2011) and a few minor ones.

1966–1991

On 22 April 1966, the military ranking system of the Armed forces of the People's Republic of Albania, was officially abolished by the order nr. 0227 "Mbi heqjen e gradave" of the Minister of People's Defence, Beqir Balluku,in accordance with the Nr. 4113 decree edicted by the Presidium of the People's Assembly on 7 March 1966.

1991–1999

Officer
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
Albania Albanian Land Force and Air Force
Gjeneral Gjeneral kolonel Gjeneral lejtnant Gjeneral major Kolonel Nënkolonel Major Kapiten i parë Kapiten Toger Nëntoger
Albanian Naval Force
Admiral Nënadmiral Kundëradmiral Kapiten i Rangut I Kapiten i Rangut II Kapiten i Rangut III Kapiten Lejtnant I Kapiten Lejtnant II Lejtnant Nënlejtnant
Other
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
Albania Albanian Land Force and Air Force No insignia
Kapter i parë Kapter Rreshter i parë Rreshter Tetar
Albanian Naval Force No insignia
Miçman i parë Miçman Rreshter i parë Rreshter Tetar

1999–2004

Commissioned officers
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
Albania Albanian Land Force
Gjeneral Gjeneral Kolonel Gjeneral Lejtnant Gjeneral Major Kolonel Nënkolonel Major Kapiten i parë Kapiten Toger Nëntoger
Albania Albanian Air Force
Gjeneral Gjeneral Kolonel Gjeneral Lejtnant Gjeneral Major Kolonel Nënkolonel Major Kapiten i parë Kapiten Toger Nëntoger
Enlisted
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
Albania Albanian Land Force No insignia
Kapter i parë Kapter Rreshter i parë Rreshter Tetar
Albania Albanian Air Force No insignia
Kapter i parë Kapter Rreshter i parë Rreshter Tetar

2004–2011

Commissioned officers
NATO code OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1
Albanian Land Force
Gjeneral Gjeneral Lejtant Gjeneral Major Gjeneral Brigade Kolonel Nënkolonel Major Kapiten Toger Nëntoger
Albanian Naval Force
Admiral Nënadmiral Kundëradmiral Kapiten i Rangut I Kapiten i Rangut II Kapiten i Rangut III Kapiten Lejtnant Lejtnant Nënlejtnant
Albanian Air Force
Gjeneral Gjeneral Lejtant Gjeneral Major Gjeneral Brigade Kolonel Nënkolonel Major Kapiten Toger Nëntoger
Enlisted
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
Albanian Land Force No insignia
Kapter i parë Kapter Rreshter i parë Rreshter Tetar
Albanian Naval Force No insignia
Kapter i parë Kapter Rreshter Katëri Rreshter Tetar
Albanian Air Force No insignia
Kapter i parë Kapter Rreshter i parë Rreshter Tetar

References

  1. ^ a b "GRADAT, FORCA TOKËSORE" (PDF). aaf.mil.al (in Albanian). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b "GRADAT, FORCA DETARE" (PDF). aaf.mil.al (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b "GRADAT, FORCA AJRORE" (PDF). aaf.mil.al (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  4. ^ Keefe, Eugene K.; Elpern, Sarah J.; Giloane, William; Moore Jr., James M.; Peters, Stephen; White, Eston T. (1982). "Internal and External Security". Albania: a country study. pp. 180–181. LCCN 73-609651. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  • "Albania". uniforminsignia.org. The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_ranks_of_Albania
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