Flag officer

A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark the position from which that officer exercises command.

Different countries use the term "flag officer" in different ways:

  • In many countries, such as the United States, a flag officer is a senior officer of the navy, specifically one holding any of the admiral ranks; the term may or may not include the rank of commodore.
  • In some countries, such as India and Bangladesh, the designation may apply in all armed forces, not just in the navy. This means generals can also be considered flag officers.
  • In most Arab armies, liwa (Arabic: لواء), which can be translated as "flag officer", is a specific rank, equivalent to a major general. However, "ensign" is debatably a more exact literal translation of the word. In principle, a liwa commands several units called "flags" or "ensigns" (i.e. brigades, also called liwa).
  • Russian navies refer to the approximate equivalent of a British Royal Navy flag officer as a flagman (флагман). Before the formation of the Soviet Navy in 1918, the Imperial Russian Navy also had officers with the function of a flag-ofitser (флаг-офицер), subordinate to a flagman and especially charged with adjutant duties and signals.
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