Air force officer rank insignia

To assist in the comparison of different countries' air force officer rank insignia, NATO rank codes have been used. These are established codes for determining the seniority of officer and other ranks in NATO countries for a particular joint task group or command structure, although specific appointments designate a higher level of seniority over other equivalent rank codes in a given situation. Officer ranks go from OF-1 up to OF-10; OF(D) being a special category for trainee officers awaiting a commission. The system should not be confused with the pay grades used in the US military. While countries outside the NATO command structure (including some NATO member countries such as France) do not strictly fall into this classification structure and there may be instances of overlap the codes still provide a useful gauge in determining what ranks are broadly equivalent.

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Argentina (Edit)	No equivalent
			Brigadier General (Brigadier General)		Brigadier Mayor (Brigadier-Major)		Brigadier (Brigadier)		Comodoro Mayor (Commodore-Major)		Comodoro (Commodore)		Vicecomodoro (Vice-Commodore)		Mayor (Major)		Capitán (Captain)		Primer Teniente (First Lieutenant)			Teniente (Lieutenant)			Alférez (Ensign)
Australia (Edit)
	Marshal of the RAAF		Air chief marshal		Air marshal		Air vice-marshal		Air commodore		Group captain		Wing commander		Squadron leader		Flight lieutenant		Flying officer			Pilot officer			Officer cadet
Bangladesh (Edit)	No equivalent
			Air Chief Marshal		Air Marshal		Air Vice-Marshal		Air Commodore		Group Captain		Wing Commander		Squadron Leader		Flight Lieutenant		Flying Officer			Pilot Officer			Officer cadet
Belgium (Edit)	No equivalent																								No equivalent
			General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier General		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major	Senior Captain	Captain		Lieutenant			Second Lieutenant									Officer Cadet
			Generaal		Luitenant-generaal		Generaal-majoor		Brigadegeneraal		Kolonel		Luitenant-kolonel		Majoor	Kapitein-commandant	Kapitein		Luitenant			Onderluitenant									Aspirant
			Général		Lieutenant général		Général-major		Général de Brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Major	Capitaine-commandant	Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant									Aspirant
			General		Generalleutnant		Generalmajor		Brigadegeneral		Oberst		Oberstleutnant		Major	Stabshauptmann	Hauptmann		Leutnant			Unterleutnant									Aspirant
Brazil (Edit)									No equivalent
	Marechal-do-ar (Marshal of the Air)		Tenente-brigadeiro (Lieutenant-Brigadier)		Major-brigadeiro (Major-Brigadier)		Brigadeiro-do-ar (Brigadier)				Coronel (Colonel)		Tenente-coronel (Lieutenant-Colonel)		Major (Major)		Capitão (Captain)		Primeiro-tenente (First Lieutenant)			Segundo-tenente (Second Lieutenant)			Aspirante (Aspirant)
Canada (Edit)	No equivalent																														No equivalent
			General		Lieutenant-general		Major-general		Brigadier-general		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Officer cadet
			Général		Lieutenant-général		Major-général		Brigadier-général		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Major		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant			Élève-officier
Chile (Edit)	No equivalent
			Air General General de Aire		Aviation General General de Aviación		Air Brigade General General de Brigada Aérea		Commodore Comodoro		Aviation Colonel Coronel de Aviación		Group Commander Comandante de Grupo		Squadron Commander Comandante de Escuadrilla		Flight Captain Capitán de Bandada		Lieutenant Teniente		Sublieutenant Subteniente		Ensign Alférez		Officer Cadet Cadete
Czech Republic (Edit)	No equivalent																								No equivalent
			Armádní generál		Generálporučík		Generálmajor		Brigádní generál		Plukovník		Podplukovník		Major		Kapitán		Nadporučík			Poručík
Denmark (Edit)	No equivalent																														No equivalent
			General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier General		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		First Lieutenant			Lieutenant			Second Lieutenant
			General		Generalløjtnant		Generalmajor		Brigadegeneral		Oberst		Oberstløjtnant		Major		Kaptajn		Premierløjtnant			Løjtnant			Sekondløjtnant
Dominican Republic (Edit)	No equivalent
					Teniente General		Mayor General		General de Brigada		Coronel		Teniente Coronel		Mayor		Capitan		Primer Teniente			Segundo Teniente			Cadete
France (Edit)	No equivalent
			Général d´armée aérienne		Général de corps aérien		Général de division aérienne		Général de brigade aérienne		Colonel		Lieutenant-Colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-Lieutenant			Aspirant						Élève-officier
Greece (Edit)	No equivalent																								No equivalent
			General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier General		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			2nd Lieutenant
			Πτέραρχος		Αντιπτέραρχος		Υποπτέραρχος		Ταξίαρχος		Σμήναρχος		Αντισμήναρχος		Επισμηναγός		Σμηναγός		Υποσμηναγός			Ανθυποσμηναγός
India (Edit)
	Marshal of the Indian Air Force		Air Chief Marshal		Air Marshal		Air Vice Marshal		Air Commodore		Group Captain		Wing Commander		Squadron Leader		Flight Lieutenant		Flying Officer						Flight Cadet
Iran (Edit)	No equivalent
			General ارتشبد		Lieutenant General سپهبد		Major General سرلشکر		Brigadier General سرتیپ	Second Brigadier General سرتیپ دوم	Colonel سرهنگ		Lieutenant Colonel سرهنگ دوم		Major سرگرد		Captain سروان		First Lieutenant ستوان یکم		Second Lieutenant ستوان دوم		Third Lieutenant ستوان سوم		Officer Cadet دانشجوی دانشگاه هوایی
Italy (Edit)																									No equivalent
	Generale awarded only to the Chief of Defence Staff		Generale di Squadra Aerea con Incarichi Speciali		Generale di Squadra Aerea		Generale di Divisione Aerea		Generale di Brigata Aerea		Colonnello		Tenente Colonnello		Maggiore		Primo capitano	Capitano	Tenente			Sottotenente
Malaysia (Edit)																									No insignia
	Marshal of the Air Force		General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier General		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Officer Cadet
	Marsyal Tentera Udara		Jeneral TUDM		Leftenan Jeneral TUDM		Mejar Jeneral TUDM		Brigedier Jeneral TUDM		Kolonel TUDM		Leftenan Kolonel TUDM		Mejar TUDM		Kapten TUDM		Leftenan TUDM			Leftenan Muda TUDM			Pegawai Kadet
Mexico (Edit)	No equivalent
					General de División		General de Ala		General de Grupo		Coronel		Teniente Coronel		Mayor		Capitan Primero	Capitán Segundo	Teniente			Subteniente			Sargento 1º de Cadetes				Sargento 2º de Cadetes				Cabo de Cadetes
Netherlands (Edit)	No equivalent																														No equivalent
			Generaal		Luitenant-generaal		Generaal-majoor		Commodore		Kolonel		Luitenant-kolonel		Majoor		Kapitein		Eerste-luitenant			Tweede-luitenant			Vaandrig
New Zealand (Edit)			No equivalent
	Marshal of the RNZAF				Air marshal		Air vice-marshal		Air commodore		Group captain		Wing commander		Squadron leader		Flight lieutenant		Flying officer			Pilot officer			Officer cadet
Poland (Edit)																									No equivalent						Various
	Marszałek Polski^1		Generał		Generał broni		Generał dywizji		Generał brygady		Pułkownik		Podpułkownik		Major		Kapitan		Porucznik			Podporucznik									Podchorąży
Portugal (Edit)																															Various
	Marechal^1		General		Tenente General		Major General		Brigadeiro General		Coronel		Tenente Coronel		Major		Capitão		Tenente			Alferes			Aspirante-a-Oficial						Cadete Aluno
Romania (Edit)																									No equivalent
	Mareșal^1		General		General-Locotenent		General-Maior		General de Flotilă Aeriană		Comandor		Căpitan-Comandor		Locotenent-Comandor		Căpitan		Locotenent			Sublocotenent
Thailand (Edit)
	จอมพลอากาศ		พลอากาศเอก		พลอากาศโท		พลอากาศตรี		พลอากาศจัตวา		นาวาอากาศเอก		นาวาอากาศโท		นาวาอากาศตรี		เรืออากาศเอก		เรืออากาศโท			เรืออากาศตรี			นักเรียนนายเรืออากาศ
	Marshal of the Air Force		Air Chief Marshal		Air Marshal		Air Vice Marshal		Air Commodore		Group Captain		Wing Commander		Squadron Leader		Flight Lieutenant		Flying Officer			Pilot Officer			Air Cadet
Sweden (Edit)	No equivalent
			General		Generallöjtnant		Generalmajor		Brigadgeneral		Överste		Överstelöjtnant		Major		Kapten		Löjtnant			Fänrik			Kadett
Ukraine (Edit)	No equivalent
			Генерал-полковник		Генерал-лейтенант		Генерал-майор		Бригадний генерал		Полковник		Підполковник		Майор		Капітан		Старший лейтенант		Лейтенант		Хорунжий		Курсант
			Colonel General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier General		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		Senior Lieutenant		Lieutenant		Junior Lieutenant		Cadet
United Kingdom (Edit)																															No equivalent
	Marshal of the RAF^1		Air chief marshal		Air marshal		Air vice-marshal		Air commodore		Group captain		Wing commander		Squadron leader		Flight lieutenant		Flying officer			Pilot officer /acting pilot officer			Officer cadet
United States (Edit)																									Various						Various
	General of the Air Force^1		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Officer trainee						Officer cadet
NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer

• ¹ Honorary/War time rank.
• ² Rank no longer in use.

Note that the NATO officer rank codes (OF-1 to OF-10) are differently numbered from the US officer rank codes (O-1 to O-11).

See also

• Air force officer ranks
• United States Air Force officer rank insignia
• Ranks and insignia of NATO Air Forces Officers
• RAF officer ranks