Captain

This article deals with the naval rank. For the rank "captain" in various infantry forces, see captain (infantry).

Captain is the highest line-officer rank used in Earth Starfleet and Federation Starfleet, immediately superior commander. A captain may be a department head or commanding officer of a starship or starbase, an aide-de-camp, executive officer, or adjutant of a flag officer, or a fleet captain.

The commanding officer of a vessel is addressed as "captain" while on their ship, regardless of rank.

This rank is also used in the Imperial Klingon Fleet and the Klingon Defense Force and other star navies, most notably the Lyran Starfleet.

The rank is equivalent to the Marines rank of colonel, wing commander in the Federation Starfighter Corps, the Cardassian Union title of gul, the Ferengi quasi-military title of daimon, and the Romulan and pre-Federation Vulcan rank of commander.

HoD was the Klingon term for the rank of captain. (The Dominion War Sourcebook: The Fires of Armageddon)

RIS Bouteina saw several HoDs: Golar was the captain of the IKV Naq'jej, while HoD Krug was the commanding officer of the IJN Eidolon.

In the 23rd century, the Gorn Space Command had two grades of captain: junior and senior captain. (TOS video game: Starfleet Command (game))

History[]

The term comes from the navies of Earth. The United States Navy abbreviation was CAPT.

22nd century	2230s

2240s-2250s	2250s	2260s-2270s	Early 2270s (Shoulders/Sleeves)	Late 2270s-2350s (Shoulders/Sleeves)

2350s-2360s	2360s-2370s service uniform	2360s-2370s duty uniform	2370s-2380s

Early 2380s	Mid 2380s	2390s
File:CAPT early (2380s).png File:Red (early 2380s).png	File:CAPT (mid 2380s).png File:Red (mid 2380s).png	File:Red (2390s).png

3100s
File:CAPT (3100s).png File:Red (3100s).png

2250s	2380s-2400s	2390s	29^th century

Klingon navy 23rd century	Klingon navy 24th century	Vulcan High Command	Kellarian Navy

Gorn Space Command		Lyran Starfleet 23rd century	Lyran Starfleet 24th century
Junior captain	Senior captain	Lyran Starfleet 23rd century	Lyran Starfleet 24th century

	Enlisted ranks					Etc	Officer ranks						Flag ranks
Starfleet Officers Enlisted Misc.	CR CA CN	PO3 PO2 PO1	CPO	SCPO	MCPO CMCPO FMCPO MCPOSF	WO CDT MID REC	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT FCAPT	CDRE RDML RADM		VADM	ADM	FADM
Klingon Defense Force (Ground forces & navy)	Bekk	Cpl	Sgt	MSgt	SgtMaj		2^nd Lt	1^st Lt	Capt (HoH)	Maj	LtCol	Col	Brig ('ech)		LtGen	Gen (Sa')
Klingon Defense Force (Ground forces & navy)	Bekk	PO2	PO1	CPO	MCPO		ENS	LTJG	LT (Sogh)	LCDR	CDR (la')	CAPT (HoD)	CDRE (totlh)		VADM	ADM
Vulcan High Command							SLT	LT	MAJ	SCDR	CDR	CAPT	Administrator
Kai Imperium	TRN MNX IMUN	LGN3 LGN2 LGN1	CLGN	CEN	SCEN		PVT	PRN		OP	TRB VIC	PR	PTR		MST	LEG	IMP
Kellarian System Defense Force (Navy & Ground forces) (Star Trek: Remington)	CR CN	PO2 PO1	CPO	SCPO	MCPO		ENS	SLT	LT	SCDR	CDR	CAPT	CDRE	VADM		ADM	FADM
	PVT PFC	CPL SGT	SSG	MSG	SGM		3LT	2LT	1LT	MAJ	LTCOL	COL	MGEN	LGEN		GEN	CGEN
Lyran ranks	CR CN	PO2 PO1	CPO	SCPO	MCPO	CDT	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT FCAPT	CDRE	SCDRE	VADM	COUNT	DUKE KING