Admiral general (Spain)

This article is about a Spanish Navy rank. For other countries that use an admiral general or general admiral rank, see General admiral.
Admiral general
Shoulder and sleeve insignia
Country Spain
Service branch Spanish Navy
Rank Four-star
NATO rank code OF-9
Formation May 19, 1999
Next higher rank Captain general of the Navy
Next lower rank Admiral
Equivalent ranks

Admiral general (Spanish: Almirante general) also called general admiral, is a four-star flag officer and the second highest possible rank in the Spanish Navy. Admiral general ranks immediately above admiral and is equivalent to a General of the Army and a General of the Air. There is not equivalent in the Civil Guard or in the Spanish Navy Marines; in both cases the top rank is Lieutenant general.

The rank was created in 1999 to adapt Spain's military ranks to better correspond with those of NATO. It is the highest rank that a Spanish naval officer can reach, as the only higher rank is that of captain general, which can only be held by the king or queen of Spain as commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces (although sometimes it has been given as an honorary rank to some generals).

The admiral general's insignia consists of a baton crossed over a saber under a royal crown. Below this and forming an imaginary diamond, four stars. Furthermore, in the sleeves of the uniform, a twisted rope and over this one three 14mm stripes and a star 50mm away. Being under a Crown means that the rank is part of the generalship (the group of generals of the Armed Forces), the baton and the saber means command and the four stars means the rank of General. This insignia was used before to 1999 by the Head of State as Captain General.

Promotion

Promotion to admiral general is reserved to two positions. These are, the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Chief of Staff of the Navy.

Both positions are appointed by the Spanish government, the first is directly nominated by the Prime Minister and the second is nominated by the Minister of Defense. Being appointed Chief of the Defense Staff means an automatic promotion to the rank of admiral general. The same happens with the Chief of Staff of the Navy with the exception if the official appointed has the rank of vice admiral, in that case, the official needs to be promoted first to admiral.

Living admiral generals

As of September 2018, there are 9 admiral generals alive, these are:

Promoted Name Others
21 May 1999 Antonio Moreno Barberá
21 May 1999
(ad honorem) 		Carlos Vila Miranda Chief of Staff of the Navy (1990-1994)
21 May 1999
(ad honorem) 		Juan José Romero Caramelo Chief of Staff of the Navy (1994-1997)
16 December 2000 Francisco José Torrente Sánchez
  • Chief of Staff of the Navy (2000–2004)
  • Secretary General of Defence Policy (2004–2007)
30 April 2004 Sebastián Zaragoza Soto Chief of Staff of the Navy (2004–2008)
18 July 2008 Manuel Rebollo García Chief of Staff of the Navy (2008–2012)
30 December 2011 Fernando García Sánchez Chief of the Defence Staff (2011–2017)
27 July 2012 Jaime Muñoz-Delgado Chief of Staff of the Navy (2012–2017)
31 March 2017 Teodoro E. López Calderón
  • Chief of Staff of the Navy (2017–2021)
  • Chief of the Defence Staff (2021–present)
10 February 2021 Antonio Martorell Lacave Chief of Staff of the Navy (2021–present)