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.

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 up to OF-10; OF being a special category for trainee officers awaiting a commission. Other Ranks 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 do not strictly fall into this classification structure and there may be incidences of overlap 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.
CountryOF-10OF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6
Albania GjeneralGjenerallejtnantGjeneralmajorGjeneralbrigad
Argentina Brigadier GeneralBrigadier MayorBrigadierComodoro Mayor
AustraliaMarshal of the Royal Australian Air Force¹Air Chief MarshalAir MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir Commodore
Austria GeneralGeneralleutnantGeneralmajorBrigadier
Belarus General-polkovnikGeneral-leytenantGeneral-mayor
Belgium Generaal
Général		Luitenant-generaal
Lieutenant-général		Generaal-majoor
Général-major		Brigadegeneraal
Général de brigade
BrazilMarechal-do-ArTenente-Brigadeiro-do-ArMajor-Brigadeiro-do-ArBrigadeiro-do-Ar
Canada General
Général		Lieutenant-General
Lieutenant-Général		Major-General
Major-Général		Brigadier-General
Brigadier-Général
Canada 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 AireGeneral de AviaciónGeneral de Brigada aéreaComodoro
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
CroatiaStožerni generalGeneral zboraGeneral pukovnikGeneral bojnikBrigadni general
Denmark GeneralGeneralløjtnantGeneralmajorBrigadegeneral²
Finland KenraaliKenraaliluutnanttiKenraalimajuriPrikaatikenraali
France Général d'armée aérienneGénéral de corps aérienneGénéral de division aérienneGénéral de brigade aérienne
Germany GeneralGeneralleutnantGeneralmajorBrigadegeneral
Ghana Air MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir Commodore
IndonesiaMarsekal BesarMarsekalMarsekal MadyaMarsekal MudaMarsekal Pertama
IndiaMarshal of the Indian Air ForceAir Chief MarshalAir MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir Commodore
Israel Rav-alufAlufTat-aluf
ItalyGeneraleGenerale di squadra aerea con incarichi specialiGenerale di squadra aereaGenerale di divisione aereaGenerale di brigata aerea
Japan Air Self Defence Force Kōkū-Bakuryōchō 航空幕僚長Kūshō空将kūshō-ho空将補
Latvia ĞenerãlleitnantsĞenerãlmajorsBrigādes ģenerãlis
MalaysiaMarsyal Tentera UdaraJeneralLeftenan JeneralMejar JeneralBrigedier Jeneral
MéxicoComandante Supremo de Las Fuerzas ArmadasGeneral Secretario de La Defensa NacionalGeneral de DivisiónGeneral de AlaGeneral de Grupo
New ZealandMarshal of the Royal New Zealand Air Force¹ Air MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir Commodore
Nigeria Air Chief MarshalAir MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir Commodore
Philippines GeneralLieutenant GeneralMajor GeneralBrigadier General
Poland GenerałGenerał broniGenerał dywizjiGenerał brygady
Romania GeneralGeneral-locotenentGeneral-maiorGeneral de flotilă aeriană
Russia General armii General-polkovnikGeneral-leytenantGeneral-mayor
SpainCapitán GeneralGeneral del AireTeniente GeneralGeneral de DivisiónGeneral de Brigada
Sri Lanka Air Chief MarshalAir MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir Commodore
Sweden GeneralGenerallöjtnantGeneralmajorBrigadgeneral²
ThailandChom Phon Akat Phon Akat Ek Phon Akat Tho Phon Akat Tri Nawa Akat Ek Phiset
TurkeyHava MareşalıHava Kuvvetleri Komutanı
----
Orgeneral		KorgeneralTümgeneralTuğgeneral
United KingdomMarshal of the Royal Air ForceAir Chief MarshalAir MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir Commodore
United StatesGeneral of the Air ForceGeneralLieutenant GeneralMajor GeneralBrigadier General
Zimbabwe Air Chief MarshalAir MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir Commodore

Other officers

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 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.