Air Force Ranks
An air force is a country's armed force that fights in the air. Its most senior rank is usually Air Chief Marshal or General, as you see here. (There is in fact a rank more senior than Air Chief Marshal or General; this is Marshal of the Royal Air Force [RAF] or General of the Air Force [USAF]. It is seldom awarded and is not shown in this table.) The most junior rank is usually Aircraftman or Airman.
| United Kingdom | USA | |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Air Force (RAF) | US Air Force (USAF) | |
| officers | Air Chief Marshal | General |
| Air Marshal | Lieutenant General | |
| Air Vice-Marshal | Major General | |
| Air Commodore | Brigadier General | |
| Group Captain | Colonel | |
| Wing Commander | Lieutenant Colonel | |
| Squadron Leader | Major | |
| Flight Lieutenant | Captain | |
| Flying Officer | First Lieutenant | |
| Pilot Officer | Second Lieutenant | |
| other ranks | Warrant Officer | Chief Master Sergeant |
| Senior Master Sergeant | ||
| Flight Sergeant | Master Sergeant | |
| Sergeant | Technical Sergeant | |
| Staff Sergeant | ||
| Corporal | Senior Airman | |
| Senior Aircraftman | Airman | |
| Aircraftman | Airman Basic |
Common abbreviations:
- AC: Aircraftman
- Air Cdre: Air Commodore
- Air Mshl: Air Marshal
- Amn: Airman
- Brig Gen: Brigadier General
- Capt: Captain
- Col: Colonel
- Cpl: Corporal
- Flt Lt: Flight Lieutenant
- Gen: General
- Gp Capt: Group Captain
- Lt Col: Lieutenant Colonel
- Lt Gen: Lieutenant General
- Maj: Major
- Maj Gen: Major General
- Sgt: Sergeant
- Sqn Ldr: Squadron Leader
- SSgt: Staff Sergeant
- Wg Cdr: Wing Commander
- WO: Warrant Officer