Air force officer ranks

Many air forces use a rank system similar to those of armies. However, the RAF and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries, or those formerly under a British influence, use a different set of ranks loosely based on naval equivalents; Lieutenant, Commander, Captain and Commodore are prefixed for air force use with Flight, Wing, Group and Air, respectively (the first three being the units that they used to command).

NATO rank codes

To assist in the comparisons of ranks in the armed forces of different countries, established NATO rank codes are 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 (applying to all subaltern officers below captain) up to OF-10; OF(D) being a special category for trainee officers awaiting a commission. Other Ranks (also known as enlisted men) are classified from OR-1 to OR-9. 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 incidences of overlap (particularly in OR ranks between countries) the codes still provide a useful gauge in determining what ranks are broadly equivalent.

Generals/Marshals/Air Officers

These are the highest ranks. Promotion to a rank above OF-9 is now rare and usually reserved for wartime. General of the Air Force is an example of such a rank.

Note that there is doubt about rank equivalency in countries that have both colonel-generals and generals but no brigadier-generals, such as German Empire and Russia - often it is considered that in these countries a colonel-general equates to an OF-9 rank, a general to OF-8, a lieutenant-general to OF-7, and a major-general to OF-6 (i.e. the ranks below colonel-general all move down one grade).

Country	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6
Albania		Gjeneral	Gjenerallejtnant	Gjeneralmajor	Gjeneralbrigad
Argentina		Brigadier General	Brigadier Mayor	Brigadier	Comodoro Mayor
Australia	Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force¹	Air Chief Marshal	Air Marshal	Air Vice-Marshal	Air Commodore
Austria		General	Generalleutnant	Generalmajor	Brigadier
Belarus		General-polkovnik	General-leytenant	General-mayor
Belgium		Generaal Général	Luitenant-generaal Lieutenant-général	Generaal-majoor Général-major	Brigadegeneraal Général de brigade
Brazil	Marechal-do-Ar	Tenente-Brigadeiro-do-Ar	Major-Brigadeiro-do-Ar	Brigadeiro-do-Ar
Canada (modern)		General Général	Lieutenant-General Lieutenant-Général	Major-General Major-Général	Brigadier-General Brigadier-Général
Canada (1920s to 1960s)		Air Chief Marshal Maréchal en chef de l'air	Air Marshal Maréchal de l'air	Air Vice-Marshal Vice-maréchal de l'air	Air Commodore Commodore de l'air
Chile		General del Aire	General de Aviación	General de Brigada aérea	Comodoro
China		Kongjun Shang Jiang 空军上将	Kongjun Zhong Jiang 空军中将	Kongjun Shao Jiang 空军少将	Kongjun Da Xiao 空军大校
Croatia	Stožerni general	General zbora	General pukovnik	General bojnik	Brigadni general
Denmark		General	Generalløjtnant	Generalmajor	Brigadegeneral²
Finland		Kenraali	Kenraaliluutnantti	Kenraalimajuri	Prikaatikenraali
France		Général d'armée aérienne	Général de corps aérienne	Général de division aérienne	Général de brigade aérienne
Germany		General	Generalleutnant	Generalmajor	Brigadegeneral
Ghana			Air Marshal	Air Vice-Marshal	Air Commodore
Indonesia	Marsekal Besar	Marsekal	Marsekal Madya	Marsekal Muda	Marsekal Pertama
India	Marshal of the Indian Air Force	Air Chief Marshal	Air Marshal	Air Vice-Marshal	Air Commodore
Israel			Rav-aluf	Aluf	Tat-aluf
Italy	Generale	Generale di squadra aerea con incarichi speciali	Generale di squadra aerea	Generale di divisione aerea	Generale di brigata aerea
Japan Air Self Defence Force		Kōkū-Bakuryōchō 航空幕僚長	Kūshō空将	kūshō-ho空将補
Latvia			Ğenerãlleitnants	Ğenerãlmajors	Brigādes ģenerãlis
Malaysia	Marsyal Tentera Udara	Jeneral	Leftenan Jeneral	Mejar Jeneral	Brigedier Jeneral
México	Comandante Supremo de Las Fuerzas Armadas	General Secretario de La Defensa Nacional	General de División	General de Ala	General de Grupo
New Zealand	Marshal of the Royal New Zealand Air Force¹		Air Marshal	Air Vice-Marshal	Air Commodore
Nigeria		Air Chief Marshal	Air Marshal	Air Vice-Marshal	Air Commodore
Philippines		General	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General
Poland		Generał	Generał broni	Generał dywizji	Generał brygady
Romania		General	General-locotenent	General-maior	General de flotilă aeriană
Russia (Soviet Union)	General armii (Marshal Aviatsii)	General-polkovnik	General-leytenant	General-mayor
Spain	Capitán General	General del Aire	Teniente General	General de División	General de Brigada
Sri Lanka		Air Chief Marshal	Air Marshal	Air Vice-Marshal	Air Commodore
Sweden		General	Generallöjtnant	Generalmajor	Brigadgeneral²
Thailand	Chom Phon Akat (Marshal of the RTAF)	Phon Akat Ek (Air Chief Marshal)	Phon Akat Tho (Air Marshal)	Phon Akat Tri (Air Vice Marshal)	Nawa Akat Ek Phiset (Special Group Captain)
Turkey	Hava Mareşalı	Hava Kuvvetleri Komutanı Orgeneral	Korgeneral	Tümgeneral	Tuğgeneral
United Kingdom	Marshal of the Royal Air Force	Air Chief Marshal	Air Marshal	Air Vice-Marshal	Air Commodore
United States	General of the Air Force	General	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General
Zimbabwe		Air Chief Marshal	Air Marshal	Air Vice-Marshal	Air Commodore

Other officers

Country	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Albania	Kolonel	Nënkolonel	Major	Kapiten	Toger	Nëntoger
Argentina	Comodoro	Vicecomodoro	Mayor	Capitán	Primer Teniente	Teniente	Alférez
Australia	Group Captain	Wing Commander	Squadron Leader	Flight Lieutenant	Flying Officer	Pilot Officer	Officer Cadet
Belarus	Polkovnik	Podpolkovnik	Mayor	Kapitan	Starshiy leytenant	Leytenant	Mladshiy Leytenant
Belgium	Kolonel Colonel	Luitenant-kolonel Lieutenant-colonel	Majoor Major Kapitein-commandant Capitaine-commandant	Kapitein Capitaine	Luitenant Lieutenant	Onderluitenant Sous-lieutenant
Brazil	Coronel	Tenente-Coronel	Major	Capitão	Primeiro-Tenente	Segundo-Tenente	Aspirante
Canada (modern)	Colonel Colonel	Lieutenant-Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel	Major Major	Captain Capitaine	Lieutenant Lieutenant	Second-Lieutenant Sous-Lieutenant
Canada (1920s to 1960s)	Group Captain Colonel d'aviation	Wing Commander Lieutenant-colonel d'aviation	Squadron Leader Commandant d'aviation	Flight Lieutenant Capitaine d'aviation	Flying Officer Lieutenant d'aviation	Pilot Officer Sous-lieutenant d'aviation
Chile	Coronel de Aviación	Comandante de Grupo	Comandante de Escuadrilla	Capitan de Bandada	Teniente	Subteniente	Alferez
China	Kongjun Shang Xiao 空军上校	Kongjun Zhong Xiao 空军中校	Kongjun Shao Xiao 空军少校	Kongjun Shang Wei 空军上尉	Kongjun Zhong Wei 空军中尉	Kongjun Shao Wei 空军少尉
Croatia	Brigadir	Pukovnik	Bojnik	Satnik	Nadporučnik	Poručnik
Denmark	Oberst	Oberst Løjtnant	Major	Kaptajn	Premierløjtnant	Flyverløjtnant 1. grad	Flyverløjtnant
Finland	Eversti	Everstiluutnantti	Majuri	Kapteeni	Yliluutnantti Luutnantti	Vänrikki
France	Colonel	Lieutenant-Colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-Lieutenant	Aspirant
Germany	Oberst	Oberstleutnant	Major	Stabshauptmann Hauptmann	Oberleutnant	Leutnant	Oberfähnrich / Fähnrich
Ghana	Group Captain	Wing Commander	Squadron Leader	Flight Lieutenant	Air Lieutenant	Air Sub Lieutenant
India	Group Captain	Wing Commander	Squadron Leader	Flight Lieutenant	Flying Officer
Indonesia	Kolonel	Letnan Kolonel	Mayor	Kapten	Letnan Satu	Letnan Dua
Israel	Aluf mishne	Sgan aluf	Rav seren	Seren	Segen	Segen mishne
Italy	Colonnello	Tenente Colonnello	Maggiore	Capitano	Tenente	Sottotenente
Japan Air Self Defence Force	Ittō-Kūsa一等空佐	Nitō-Kūsa二等空佐	Santō-Kūsa三等空佐	Ittō-Kūi一等空尉	Nitō-Kūi二等空尉	Santō-Kūi三等空尉
Latvia	Pulkvedis	Pulkvežleitnants	Majors	Kapteinis	Virslietnants	Lietnants
Malaysia	Kolonel	Leftenan Kolonel	Mejar	Kapten	Leftenan	Leftenan Muda
México	Coronel	Teniente Coronel	Mayor	Capitán Primero	Capitán Segundo	Teniente	Subteniente
New Zealand	Group Captain	Wing Commander	Squadron Leader	Flight Lieutenant	Flying Officer	Pilot Officer
Nigeria	Group Captain	Wing Commander	Squadron Leader	Flight Lieutenant	Flying Officer	Pilot Officer
Philippines	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	1st Lieutenant	2nd Lieutenant
Poland	Pułkownik	Podpułkownik	Major	Kapitan	Porucznik	Podporucznik
Romania	Comandor	Căpitan-comandor	Locotenent-comandor	Căpitan	Locotenent	Sublocotenent
Russia	Polkovnik	Podpolkovnik	Mayor	Kapitan	Starshiy leytenant	Leytenant	Mladshiy leytenant
Slovakia	Plukovník	Podplukovník	Major	Kapitán	Poručík	Podporučík
Spain	Coronel	Teniente Coronel	Comandante	Capitán	Teniente	Alférez
Sri Lanka	Group Captain	Wing Commander	Squadron Leader	Flight Lieutenant	Flying Officer	Pilot Officer
Sweden	Överste 1. graden³ Överste	Överstelöjtnant	Major	Kapten	Löjtnant	Fänrik
Thailand	Nawa Akat Ek (Group Captain)	Nawa Akat Tho (Wing Commander)	Nawa Akat Tri (Squadron Leader)	Ruea Akat Ek (Flight Lieutenant)	Ruea Akat Tho (Flying Officer)	Ruea Akat Tri (Pilot Officer)
Turkey	Albay	Yarbay	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Üsteğmen	Teğmen	Asteğmen
United Kingdom	Group Captain	Wing Commander	Squadron Leader	Flight Lieutenant	Flying Officer	Pilot Officer	Acting Pilot Officer
United States	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	1st Lieutenant	2nd Lieutenant
Zimbabwe	Group Captain	Wing Commander	Squadron Leader	Flight Lieutenant	Air Lieutenant	Air Sub Lieutenant

¹ No officer of the French Air Force has ever been created a Maréchal.
² Introduced on 1 July 2000, when promotions to the rank of Överste 1. graden (a field officer rank) ceased.
³ Promotion to the rank of Överste 1. graden ceased on 1 July 2000, when the new junior general officer rank of Brigadgeneral was introduced.

Rank insignia

Whilst there is a wide range of air force rank insignia in use, many air forces use army-style rank insignia whilst others follow the Royal Air Force style (shown below).

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
United Kingdom (Edit)													No equivalent
United Kingdom (Edit)	Marshal of the RAF¹	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	No equivalent