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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Argentine Air Force |
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) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Royal Australian Air Force |
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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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bangladesh Air Force |
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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Belgian Air Component |
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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Brazilian Air Force |
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) |
Cadete (Cadet) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Royal Canadian Air Force |
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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chilean Air Force |
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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Czech Air Force |
No equivalent | No equivalent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Armádní generál | Generálporučík | Generálmajor | Brigádní generál | Plukovník | Podplukovník | Major | Kapitán | Nadporučík | Poručík | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Royal Danish Air Force |
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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dominican Air Force |
No equivalent |
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Teniente General | Mayor General | General de Brigada | Coronel | Teniente Coronel | Mayor | Capitan | Primer Teniente | Segundo Teniente | Cadete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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French Air and Space Force |
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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hellenic Air Force |
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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Indian Air Force |
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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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force |
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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Italian Air Force |
No equivalent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Generale | 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Royal Malaysian Air Force |
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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mexican Air Force |
No equivalent |
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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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Royal Netherlands Air Force |
No equivalent | No equivalent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Generaal | Luitenant-generaal | Generaal-majoor | Commodore | Kolonel | Luitenant-kolonel | Majoor | Kapitein | Eerste-luitenant | Tweede-luitenant | Vaandrig | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Royal New Zealand Air Force |
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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Polish Air Force |
No equivalent | Various | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marszałek Polski | Generał | Generał broni | Generał dywizji | Generał brygady | Pułkownik | Podpułkownik | Major | Kapitan | Porucznik | Podporucznik | Podchorąży | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Portuguese Air Force |
Various | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marechal | General | Tenente General | Major General | Brigadeiro General | Coronel | Tenente Coronel | Major | Capitão | Tenente | Alferes | Aspirante-a-Oficial | Cadete Aluno | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Romanian Air Force |
No equivalent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mareșal | General | General-Locotenent | General-Maior | General de Flotilă Aeriană | Comandor | Căpitan-Comandor | Locotenent-Comandor | Căpitan | Locotenent | Sublocotenent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Royal Thai Air Force |
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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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Swedish Air Force |
No equivalent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General | Generallöjtnant | Generalmajor | Brigadgeneral | Överste | Överstelöjtnant | Major | Kapten | Löjtnant | Fänrik | Kadett | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ukrainian Air Force |
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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Royal Air Force |
No equivalent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marshal of the RAF | 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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United States Air Force |
No equivalent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General of the Air Force | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Cadet / Officer trainee (Various insignia) |
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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).