Military ranks of Denmark

The military ranks of Denmark are the military insignia used by the Danish Defence. The ranks are split into two overall categories befalingsmænd (lit. 'commanders') and menige (lit. 'privates'), with befalingsmænd being further split into officerer (lit. 'commissioned officers') and underofficerer (lit. 'sub-officers').[1]

Structure

Ranks
Group Sub-group Level NATO code Pay grade[2] Description
Commanders Officers Leadership OF-9 M406 The highest rank in the military and reserved only for the Chief of Defence and the King À la suite.[3]
OF-8 M406 The second highest rank in the military and until 1970 used for branch chiefs. Now only for the Chief of the Defense Staff, the Chief of Acquisition and the National Armaments Director.[4][5][6]
OF-7 M406 The third highest rank in the military and is given to the branch chiefs (including the Home Guard), as well as the chiefs of the Operations Staff, Development and Planning Staff, Operational Support Command, Joint Arctic Command, Special Operations Command, Estate Command and the Royal Danish Defence College.[4]
OF-6 M406 The rank was introduced in 1983, following the adaptation of the STANAG 2116.[7]

The rank is given to deputy branch chiefs, the Surgeon General, commanders of the Health Services, the Maintenance Service, the brigades, or to OF-5 on extended international missions, as a temporary rank.[8]

OF-5 M406
OF-4 M406
Management OF-3 M332 Established in 2005 as a way to improve avancement for M331 who are unable to advance to M406, due to lack of available positions.[9]
M331
M322 Awarded to M321 who have a highly specialised knowledge or 18–20 years' experience as an officer but has not yet completed a Master of Military Studies (MMS).[10][11]
OF-2 M321
OF-1 M312
M311
M310
Sub-officers Middle management OR-9 M232
OR-8 M231
OR-7 M221
OR-5 M212
M211
Privates N/a Manual level OR-4 M113
OR-3 M112
OR-2
OR-1
N/a M111 Only for conscripts and recruits.[2]

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

NATO codeOF-10OF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6OF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1
Rank group[12] Leadership level (Chefniveau) Management level (Lederniveau)
 Royal Danish Army[13]
General General­løjtnant General­major Brigade­general Oberst Oberst­løjtnant Major Kaptajn Premier­løjtnant Løjtnant Sekond­løjtnant
 Royal Danish Navy[14]
Admiral Viceadmiral Kontreadmiral Flotilleadmiral Kommandør Kommandørkaptajn Orlogskaptajn Kaptajnløjtnant Premierløjtnant Løjtnant
 Royal Danish Air Force[15]
General Generalløjtnant Generalmajor Brigadegeneral Oberst Oberstløjtnant Major Kaptajn Premierløjtnant Løjtnant Sekondløjtnant
Danish pay grade[2]M406M405M404M403M402M401M332
M331
M322		M321M312M311M310

Special insignia

Rank OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6
Army and
air force[16]
Navy[17]
Vehicle star plate[16]

Other ranks

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

NATO codeOR-9OR-8OR-7OR-6OR-5OR-4OR-3OR-2OR-1
Rank group[12] Middle management level (Mellemlederniveau) Manual level (Manuelt niveau)
 Royal Danish Army[13]
Chefsergent Seniorsergent Oversergent Sergent Sergent
(Officerselev)		 Korporal Overkonstabel af 1. grad Overkonstabel Konstabel
 Royal Danish Navy[14]
Chefsergent Seniorsergent Oversergent Sergent Sergent SØ Korporal Marinespecialist Marineoverkonstabel Marinekonstabel
 Royal Danish Air Force[15]
Chefsergent Seniorsergent Oversergent Sergent Sergent
(Officerselev)		 Korporal Flyverspecialist Flyveroverkonstabel Flyverkonstabel
Danish pay grade[2]M232M231M221M212M211M113M112

Joint ranks

Rank groupNon-combat
Judge Advocate Corps[18]
Generalauditør Auditør Auditørfuldmægtig
Legal[18][19]
Militærjuridisk rådgiver
Civilian[18]
Civil, chefniveau Civil, lederniveau Civil, mellemniveau Civil, manuelt niveau
Medical[18][19]
Speciallæge/
Special tandlæge		 Læge/tandlæge
uden auto. til
selvstændig virke		 Ledende afdelingssygeplejerske
Nurse[18][19]
Afdelingssygeplejerske 1. assistent Sygeplejeassistent
Music[18]
Musikdirigent Musiker

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hertz, Michael; Petersen, Karsten Skjold. "Militære grader". Lex – Danmarks Nationalleksikon (in Danish). Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Historik". Forsvarsministeriets Personalestyrelse (in Danish). 9 January 2017. Archived from the original on 19 November 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  3. ↑ Hedegaard, Ole A. (1 January 1986). "Nyt militært gradstegn - en ny/gammel tradition!". Krigsvidenskab.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Forsvarets ledelse" [Defence leadership]. Forsvaret (in Danish). 17 October 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  5. ↑ "Direktion" [Management]. Forsvarsministeriets Materiel- og Indkøbsstyrelse (in Danish). 7 October 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  6. ↑ Lind, Vickie (21 March 2024). "Ny direktør FMI" [New director of DALO]. Hovedorganisationen af Officerer i Danmark (in Danish). Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  7. ↑ Hedegaard 1986.
  8. ↑ Marrup, Karsten (1 May 2017). "Stop galskaben med midlertidige tillagte grader!". OLFI (in Danish). Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  9. ↑ "M332-ordningen" [The M332 scheme]. Hovedorganisationen af Officerer i Danmark (in Danish). Archived from the original on 11 December 2025. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "Udnævnelse og karrieremuligheder for major/orlogskaptajn (M322)" [Appointment and career opportunities for major/naval captain (M322)]. Forsvaret (in Danish). 8 May 2025. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  11. ↑ "Retningslinjer for Udnævnelsespraksis for Fastansatte Officerer" [Guidelines for Appointment Practices for Permanent Officers] (PDF) (in Danish). December 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  12. 1 2 "Bekendtgørelse om militære grader mv. for personel i det militære forsvar". retsinformation.dk (in Danish). 24 March 2010. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  13. 1 2 "Hærens Gradstegn" (PDF). forsvaret.dk (in Danish). Danish Defence. October 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  14. 1 2 "Søværnets Gradstegn" (PDF). forsvaret.dk (in Danish). Danish Defence. October 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  15. 1 2 "Flyvevåbnets Gradstegn" (PDF). forsvaret.dk (in Danish). Danish Defence. October 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  16. 1 2 "FKOBST L.202 - 4: Ceremoniel i Forsvaret" (in Danish). Danish Defence. October 2019. p. Bilag 3 til Tillæg A. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  17. ↑ "FKOBST L.202 - 4: Ceremoniel i Forsvaret" (in Danish). Danish Defence. October 2019. p. Bilag 2 til Tillæg A. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Værnsfælles gradstegn" (PDF). Forsvaret (in Danish). Danish Defence. October 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  19. 1 2 3 Hærchefsergent (March 2021). "FKOBST H. 628-1: Uniformsbestemmelser for Hæren" (PDF) (in Danish). pp. 36–37. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
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