South African military ranks

The South African National Defence Force's rank system is largely based on the British system, with the Air Force (and later the Military Health Service) sharing the Army rank titles. Rank titles changed over time as did the insignia.

In 2005 the South African Air Force redesigned its insignia completely, while keeping the Army titles.

Evolution of rank titles

Army and Air Force ranks

General officers

Field marshal (1923–c1950)
General (1914– ) (called "commandant-general" 1956–68)
Lieutenant-general (1914– )
Major-general (1914– ) (called "combat general" 1960–68)
Brigadier-general (1912–40, 1998– )

Field officers

Brigadier (1937–98) (called "colonel-commandant" 1937–40)
Colonel (1912– )
Chief commandant (Used in the Commandos 1968–70)[1]
Lieutenant-colonel (1912– ) (called "commandant" 1950–94)

Company / junior officers

Major (1912– )
Captain (1912– )
Lieutenant (1912– ) (called "field cornet" 1960–68)
Second lieutenant (1918– ) (called "assistant field cornet" 1960–68)

Warrant officers

Warrant officer class 1 rank badge 1921–2002

Warrant officer class 1 rank badge 1921–57

In June 2008[2] a new series of warrant officer ranks were introduced.

Warrant officer 1st class (1921– )
Warrant officer 2nd class (1921– )
Warrant officer (1912–21)

Non-commissioned officers

Staff sergeant (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent "flight sergeant")
Sergeant (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent called "air sergeant" until 1970)
Corporal (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent called "air corporal" until 1970)
Lance-corporal (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent called "leading air mechanic" until 1970)

Rank and file

Private (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent called "air mechanic" 1920–70, "private" 1970–82 and "airman" 1982–)

Naval ranks

Flag officers

Admiral (1972– )
Vice-admiral (1965– )
Rear-admiral (1940– )
Rear-admiral junior grade (1998– )

Senior officers

Commodore (1946–98)
Captain (1941– )
Commander (1913– )
Lieutenant-commander (1913– )

Junior officers

Lieutenant (1913– )
Sub-lieutenant (1913– )
Ensign (1913– ) (called "acting sub-lieutenant" until 1965)
Warrant officer 1st class (1955– )
Warrant officer 2nd class (1955– )
Warrant officer (1913–55)

Petty officers

Chief petty officer (1913– )
Petty officer (1913– )
Leading seaman (1913– )
Able seaman (1913– )

Ratings

Seaman (1913– )

1961–1994 rank structure

During the apartheid era, the South African Army's rank structure was shared between the Army, Air Force and SAMS with some small differences. In the Air Force a staff sergeant was a flight sergeant for example. The Air Force ranks had a blue background and the NCO stripes were blue. For SAMS the ranks had a maroon background.

Officers

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) and student officer
South African Army	No equivalent
South African Army	No equivalent	General Generaal	Lieutenant general Luitenant generaal	Major general Generaal-majoor	Brigadier Brigadier	Colonel Kolonel	Commandant Kommandant	Major Majoor	Captain Kaptein	Lieutenant Luitenant	2nd lieutenant Tweede luitenant	Candidate officer Kandidaat offisier
South African Air Force	No equivalent											Unknown
South African Air Force	No equivalent	General Generaal	Lieutenant general Luitenant generaal	Major general Generaal-majoor	Brigadier Brigadier	Colonel Kolonel	Commandant Kommandant	Major Majoor	Captain Kaptein	Lieutenant Luitenant	2nd lieutenant Tweede luitenant	Unknown
South African Navy	No equivalent											Unknown
South African Navy	No equivalent	Admiral Admiral	Vice admiral Vise admiral	Rear admiral Skout admiral	Commodore Kommodoor	Captain Kaptein	Commander Kommandeur	Lieutenant commander Luitenant-Kommandeur	Lieutenant Luitenant	Sub Lieutenant Onderluitenant	Ensign Vaandrig	Unknown
South African Medical Service	No equivalent											Unknown
South African Medical Service	No equivalent	General Generaal	Lieutenant general Luitenant generaal	Major general Generaal-majoor	Brigadier Brigadier	Colonel Kolonel	Commandant Kommandant	Major Majoor	Captain Kaptein	Lieutenant Luitenant	2nd lieutenant Tweede luitenant	Unknown
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) and student officer

Other ranks

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
South African Army								No insignia
South African Army	Sergeant Major of the Army Sersant-Majoor van die Leer	Warrant officer class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klass I	Warrant officer class 2 Adjudant-Offisier Klass II	Staff sergeant Staf-Sersant	Sergeant Sersant	Corporal Korporaal	Lance corporal Onderkorporaal	Private Soldaat
South African Air Force								No equivalent	No insignia
South African Air Force	Sergeant Major of the SA Air Force Sersant-Majoor van die SA Lugmag	Warrant officer class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klass I	Warrant officer class 2 Adjudant-Offisier Klass II	Flight sergeant Vlug-Sersant	Sergeant Sersant	Corporal Korporaal	Lance corporal Onderkorporaal	No equivalent	Aircraftman Vliegtuigman
South African Navy							No equivalent		No equivalent
South African Navy	Master at Arms of the South African Navy Sersant-Majoor van die SA Vloot	Warrant Officer Class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klass I	Warrant Officer Class 2 Adjudant-Offisier Klass II	Chief petty officer Eerste Bootsman	Petty officer Bootsman	Leading seaman Baasseeman	No equivalent	Able seaman Bevare Seeman	No equivalent

Note: in the artillery and anti-aircraft corps, the corporal and lance-corporal are called "bombardier" and "lance-bombardier". The private is called a "gunner" in the artillery and anti-aircraft, a "rifleman" in the infantry, a "trooper" in the armoured corps, a "sapper" in the engineers, a "signalman" in the signals corps, and a "scout" in the intelligence corps.

Substantive warrant officer posts

A WO1 wearing RSM insignia

Any warrant officer class 1 could be posted to substantive posts, including

Regimental sergeant major
Command sergeant major
Brigade sergeant major
Sergeant Major of the Army
Sergeant Major of the Air Force

However they would retain the rank of WO1, while wearing unique rank insignia. To distinguish the posting different colour backgrounds were used; for example, red for regimental sergeant major and black for command sergeant major. The sergeant major of each arm of service wore insignia topped by the arms of their respective arm of service.

In 2008 the warrant officer ranks were expanded to make each substantive rank a formal rank.

Army

The SA Army was formed in 1912 as the Union Defence Force. It was given its present name in 1951. The rank system is derived from that of the British Army. The ranks of General Officers changed in September 2003 when the rank previously called Brigadier became known as Brigadier General.[3]

Officers

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
South African Army	No equivalent
South African Army	No equivalent		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			2nd lieutenant			Candidate officer

Warrant officers

Equivalent NATO rank	WO-1		WO-2		WO-3		WO-4		WO-5
South African Army
South African Army	Senior warrant officer		Master warrant officer		Chief warrant officer		Senior chief warrant officer		Master chief warrant officer

Other ranks

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2
South African Army							No insignia
South African Army	Warrant Officer Class 1	Warrant Officer Class 2	Staff Sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Lance Corporal	Private (or equivalent)
	Aandredingsbeampte Klas 1	Aandredingsbeampte Klas 2	Stafsersant	Sersant	Korporaal	Onderkorporaal

Air Force

The SA Air Force was formed in 1920. Unlike many other Commonwealth air forces, it had army style rank system. In 2002 the Air Force officer rank insignia structure was changed from one which was shared with the Army to a new pattern based on stripes. The Air Force stated that this was "in order to bring it more in line with international forms of rank".[4] The army-style rank titles were retained. Note: The Rank of General is only used when the Chief of the Air Force is also the Chief of the Defence Force which has occurred on occasion in the past.

Officers

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) and student officer
South African Air Force 1994-2002	No equivalent											Unknown
South African Air Force 1994-2002	No equivalent	General Generaal	Lieutenant general Luitenant generaal	Major general Generaal-majoor	Brigadier Brigadier	Colonel Kolonel	Commandant Kommandant	Major Majoor	Captain Kaptein	Lieutenant Luitenant	2nd lieutenant Tweede luitenant	Unknown
South African Air Force	No equivalent
South African Air Force	No equivalent	General	Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier general	Colonel	Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second lieutenant	Officer candidate

Warrant officers

Equivalent NATO rank	WO-5	WO-4	WO-3	WO-2	WO-1
South African Air Force
South African Air Force	Master chief warrant officer	Senior chief warrant officer	Chief warrant officer	Master warrant officer	Senior warrant officer

Other ranks

Equivalent NATO Code	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
South African Air Force 1994-2002							No equivalent	No insignia
South African Air Force 1994-2002	Warrant officer class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klass I	Warrant officer class 2 Adjudant-Offisier Klass II	Flight sergeant Vlug-Sersant	Sergeant Sersant	Corporal Korporaal	Lance corporal Onderkorporaal	No equivalent	Aircraftman Vliegtuigman
South African Air Force							No equivalent	No insignia
South African Air Force	Warrant officer class 1	Warrant officer class 2	Flight sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Lance corporal	No equivalent	Aircraftman

Navy

The SA Navy was originally two separate organisations, namely the South African Division of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (formed in 1913) and the South African Naval Service (formed in 1922 and renamed the "Seaward Defence Force" in 1939). They amalgamated in 1942 to form the SA Naval Forces, which were renamed "SA Navy" in 1951. The rank system is based on that of the (British) Royal Navy.

The ranks of Flag Officers changed in 1997 when the rank previously called Commodore became known as Rear Admiral (Junior Grade).[5]

Officers

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) and student officer
South African Navy 1994-2002	No equivalent
South African Navy 1994-2002	No equivalent	Admiral Admiral	Vice admiral Vise admiral	Rear admiral Skout admiral	Commodore Kommodoor	Captain Kaptein	Commander Kommandeur	Lieutenant commander Luitenant-Kommandeur	Lieutenant Luitenant	Sub Lieutenant Onderluitenant	Ensign Vaandrig	Midshipman
South African Navy	No equivalent
South African Navy	No equivalent	Admiral	Vice admiral	Rear admiral	Rear admiral (junior grade)	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant commander	Lieutenant	Sub lieutenant	Ensign	Midshipman

Warrant Officers

Equivalent NATO code	WO-1	WO-2	WO-3	WO-3	WO-5
South African Navy
South African Navy	Senior warrant officer	Master warrant officer	Chief warrant officer	Senior chief warrant officer	Master chief warrant officer

Enlisted

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
South African Navy 1994-2002						No equivalent		No equivalent
South African Navy 1994-2002	Warrant Officer Class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klass I	Warrant Officer Class 2 Adjudant-Offisier Klass II	Chief petty officer Eerste Bootsman	Petty officer Bootsman	Leading seaman Baasseeman	No equivalent	Able seaman Bevare Seeman	No equivalent
South African Navy						No equivalent		No equivalent
South African Navy	Warrant officer class 1	Warrant officer class 2	Chief petty officer	Petty officer	Leading seaman	No equivalent	Able seaman	No equivalent

Military Health Service

The South African Military Health Service uses the Army rank system. There is a differentiation in that the rank insignia is displayed on a red background as opposed to the army, which is displayed on an olive background.

Officers

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
South African Military Health Service	No equivalent
South African Military Health Service	No equivalent		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			2nd lieutenant			Candidate officer

Enlisted

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
South African Military Health Service																													No insignia
South African Military Health Service	Warrant Officer Class 1						Warrant Officer Class 2		Staff Sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance Corporal		Private (or equivalent)

Master Chief and Senior Chief Warrant Officers

The highest ranking South African non-commissioned officer is the Warrant Officer of the South African National Defence Force. They are the sole holder of the rank of Master Chief Warrant Officer (NATO equivalent WO-5).[6] As of October 2012 the incumbent MCWO is Mothusi Kgaladi[7]

The rank of Senior Chief Warrant Officer (NATO equivalent WO-4) is only held by the Master at Arms of the Navy, the Sergeant Major of the Army, the Sergeant Major of the Air Force, and the Sergeant Major of the Military Health Service.[6]

References

Radburn, Arthur (1990). "South African Army Ranks and Insignia". South African Journal of Military Studies. 20 (2): 2.
Pale, Frans (Lt Col). "DOD News Sep 2008" (pdf). SA Department of Defence.
"Airforce Rank Structure". Unofficial SA Airforce website.
SAAF Rank Insignia
Bennett, C. H.; Söderlund, A. G. (2008). South Africa's navy : a navy of the people and for the people. p. 185. ISBN 978-0-620-41446-3.
"Fact file: Comparative military and civil service grades". DefenceWeb.
"Mothusi Victor Kgaladi new WO SANDF". DefenceWeb.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] Radburn, Arthur (1990). "South African Army Ranks and Insignia". South African Journal of Military Studies. 20 (2): 2.

[2] Pale, Frans (Lt Col). "DOD News Sep 2008" (pdf). SA Department of Defence.

[3] "Airforce Rank Structure". Unofficial SA Airforce website.

[4] SAAF Rank Insignia

[5] Bennett, C. H.; Söderlund, A. G. (2008). South Africa's navy : a navy of the people and for the people. p. 185. ISBN 978-0-620-41446-3.

[Comparative-6] "Fact file: Comparative military and civil service grades". DefenceWeb.

[7] "Mothusi Victor Kgaladi new WO SANDF". DefenceWeb.

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South African military ranks

Evolution of rank titles

Army and Air Force ranks

Naval ranks

1961–1994 rank structure

Officers

Other ranks

Substantive warrant officer posts

Army

Officers

Warrant officers

Other ranks

Air Force

Officers

Warrant officers

Other ranks

Navy

Officers

Warrant Officers

Enlisted

Military Health Service

Officers

Enlisted

Master Chief and Senior Chief Warrant Officers

See also

References