Герман тілдес елдер армиясындағы Оберстлейтенант шені

Rank of officer in the armed forces of German speaking countries

Oberstleutnant (lit. Lieutenant Superior or Superior Lieutenant) is a senior field officer rank in several German speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedish rank överstelöjtnant is a direct translation, as is the Finnish rank everstiluutnantti.

Austria's armed forces, the Bundesheer, uses the rank Oberstleutnant as its sixth highest officer rank. Like in Germany and Switzerland, Oberstleutnants are above Majors and below Obersts. The term also finds usage with the Austrian Bundespolizei (federal police force) and Justizwache (prison guards corps). These two organizations are civilian in nature, but their ranks are nonetheless structured in a military fashion.

The Danish rank of oberstløjtnant is based around the German term. Ranked OF 4 within NATO and having the paygrade of M401, it is used in the Royal Danish Army and the Royal Danish Air Force.

Typically, suffixes can be applied to the word Oberstleutnant to specify the individual type of officer. Retired officers that are not incapacitated (i. e. theoretically available for reactivation) from service continue to use their title with the suffix a. D. (Germany) or aD (Switzerland), an abbreviation of außer Dienst, 'out of service'. Suffixes that specify military specialization in active service include Oberstleutnant i. G. ('im Generalstabsdienst') for general staff officers or Oberstleutnant d. R. ('der Reserve') for reservists. The suffix i. R. ('im Ruhestand'), implying retirement without the legal specification of a. D., is unofficial.

The Bundesgrenzschutz police force used the rank Oberstleutnant until 1976, and was subsequently replaced by the terms Polizeioberrat and Polizeidirektor during the government's effort to differentiate between West Germany's police and armed forces.

The Wehrmacht (1935 1945) of Nazi Germany used the rank of Oberstleutnant for Army and Air Force, much in the same style the Bundeswehr does. The Waffen SS (1933 1945) used the rank Obersturmbannführer as an equivalent.

The National People's Army (1956 1990) of East Germany used the rank Oberstleutnant (abbr. OSL) for its army and air force, whereas the Volksmarine used the term Fregattenkapitän.

The rank of Oberstløytnant was introduced around the same time as Denmark, as Norway at the time was part of Denmark–Norway.

The Swedish variant överstelöjtnant, is a senior field grade military officer rank in the Swedish Army and the Swedish Air Force, immediately below the rank of colonel and just above the rank of major. It is equivalent to the naval rank of Commodore captain in the Swedish Navy.