Comparative air force officer ranks of Africa

This is a rank comparison chart of air force officer ranks of African states.

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Algerian Air Force [1] v t e
			فريق أول‎‎ Fariq 'awal		فريق Fariq		لواء Liwa		عميد Amid		عقيد Aqid		مقدم Muqaddam		رائد Ra'id		نقيب Naqib		ملازم أول Mulazim awwal			ملازم Mulazim
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
National Air Force of Angola [2] v t e
			General-de-Aviação		General		Tenente-general		Brigadeiro		Coronel		Tenente-coronel		Major		Capitão		Tenente			Sub-tenente
Benin	No air force
Botswana Defence Force Air Wing [3] v t e
							Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Burkina Faso Air Force [4] v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel-major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Burundi	No air force
Cameroon Air Force v t e
			Général d'armée aérienne		Général de corps aérien		Général de division aérienne		Général de brigade aérienne		Colonel		Lieutenant-Colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-Lieutenant
Cape Verde	No air force
Central African Air Force v t e
							Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Chadian Air Force v t e
							Général de division aérienne		Général de brigade aérienne		Colonel		Lieutenant-Colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-Lieutenant
Comoros	No air force
Air Force of the DR Congo v t e
			Général d'armée		Lieutenant-général		Général-major		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Major		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-Lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Congolese Air Force [5] v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-Colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Djibouti Air Force v t e
									Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Egyptian Air Force v t e
			فريق أول‎‎ Fariq 'awal		فريق Fariq		لواء Liwa		عميد Amid		عقيد Aqid		مقدم Muqaddam		رائد Ra'id		نقيب Naqib		ملازم أول Mulazim awwal			ملازم Mulazim
Equatorial Guinea Air Force v t e
							Major General General De Division		Brigadier General General De Brigada		Colonel Coronel		Lieutenant Colonel Teniente Coronel		Major Comandante		Captain Capitán		1st Lieutenant Teniente			2nd lieutenant Alférez
Eritrean Air Force v t e
							Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Ethiopian Air Force v t e
			ጄኔራል Jēnērali		ሌተናንት ጄኔራል Lētenaniti jēnērali		ሜጄር ጄኔራል Mējēri jēnērali		ብርጋዴር ጄኔራል Birigadēri jēnērali		ኮሌኔል Kolēnēli		ሌተናንት ኮሎኔል Lētenaniti kolonēli		ሻለቃ Shalek’a		ሻምበል Shamibeli		መቶ አለቃ Meto ālek’a			ምክትል መቶ አለቃ Mikitili meto ālek’a
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Gabonese Air Force v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-Lieutenant
Gambia	No air force
Ghana Air Force [6] v t e
			Air chief marshal		Air marshal		Air vice-marshal		Air commodore		Group captain		Wing commander		Squadron leader		Flight lieutenant		Flying officer			Pilot officer
Guinea Air Force v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Guinea-Bissau	No air force
Ivory Coast Air Force [7] v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel-major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant			Aspirant
Kenya Air Force [8] v t e
	Commander-in-Chief		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Lesotho Air Squadron v t e
					Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Liberian Air Wing [9] v t e
											Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Libyan Air Force [10] v t e
	مشير Mushir		فريق أول‎‎ Fariq 'awal		فريق Fariq		لواء Liwa		عميد Amid		عقيد Aqid		مقدم Muqaddam		رائد Ra'id		نقيب Naqib		ملازم أول Mulazim awwal			ملازم Mulazim
Madagascar Air Force [11] v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Malawi Air Force v t e
			General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier General		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		First Lieutenant			Second Lieutenant
Malian Air Force [12] v t e
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel-major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Mauritania Islamic Air Force [13] v t e
					فريق Fariq		لواء Liwa				عميد Amid		مقدم Muqaddam		رائد Ra'id		نقيب Naqib		ملازم أول Mulazim awwal			ملازم Mulazim
Mauritius	No air force
Royal Moroccan Air Force [14] v t e
			Général d'armée aerienne		Général de corps aerienne		Général de division aerienne		Général de brigade aerienne		Colonel major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Mozambique Air Force v t e
			Coronel General		Tenente General		Major General				Coronel		Tenente Coronel		Major		Capitão		Tenente			Alferes
Namibian Air Force [15] v t e
			Chief air marshal		Air marshal		Air vice marshal		Air commodore		Group captain		Wing commander		Squadron leader		Flight lieutenant		Flying officer			Pilot officer
Niger Air Force v t e
											Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Nigerian Air Force [16] v t e
	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
Rwandan Air Force [17] v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
São Tomé and Príncipe	No air force
Senegalese Air Force v t e
							Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-Colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-Lieutenant
Seychelles Air Force [18] v t e
									Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Officer cadet
Sierra Leone	No air force
Somali Air Force [19] v t e
					Lieutenant general Sareeye Guud		Major general Sareeye Gaas		Brigadier General Sareeye Guuto		Colonel Gashaanle Sare		Lieutenant colonel Gashaanle Dhexe		Major Gashaanle		Captain Dhamme		First Lieutenant Laba Xídígle			Second Lieutenant Xídígle
South African Air Force [20] v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Officer candidate
South Sudan v t e
	Air Marshal		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Officer cadet
Sudanese Air Force [21] v t e
			فريق أول‎‎ Fariq 'awal		فريق Fariq		لواء Liwa		عميد Amid		عقيد Aqid		مقدم Muqaddam		رائد Ra'id		نقيب Naqib		ملازم أول Mulazim awwal			ملازم Mulazim
Swaziland	No air force
Tanzania Air Force v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Officer candidate
Togolese Air Force [22] v t e
							Général de division aérienne		Général de brigade aérienne		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Tunisian Air Force [23] v t e
					فريق أول Fariq 'awal		فريق Fariq		أمير لواء 'amir liwa'		عميد Amid	عقيد Aqid	مقدم Muqaddam		رائد Ra'id		نقيب Naqib		ملازم أول Mulazim awwal			ملازم Mulazim
					Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général de brigade		Colonel-major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
Ugandan Air Force v t e
			General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second Lieutenant			Officer cadet
Zambian Air Force v t e
			General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		First Lieutenant			Second Lieutenant
Air Force of Zimbabwe [24] v t e
			Air chief marshal		Air marshal		Air vice-marshal		Air commodore		Group Captain		Wing commander		Squadron leader		Flight lieutenant		Air lieutenant			Air sub-lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet

Warrant officers

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

See also

• Comparative air force officer ranks of the Americas
• Ranks and insignia of NATO air forces officers

References

1. "Ranks". mdn.dz. Ministry of National Defence (Algeria). Retrieved 30 May 2021.
2. "Postos da Força Aérea Nacional". faa.ao (in Portuguese). Angolan Air Force. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
3. "Ranks". Government of Botswana. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
4. "LOI N° 037-2016/AN PORTANT CONDITIONS D'AVANCEMENT DES PERSONNELS D'ACTIVE DES FORCES ARMEES NATIONALES" (PDF) (in French). 2015. pp. 17–21. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
5. "Grades appellations distinctions". defense.gouv.cg (in French). Ministry of National Defense (Republic of the Congo). Retrieved 7 June 2021.
6. "Rank Structure". gafonline.mil.gh. Ghana Air Force. 2018. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
7. "GRADES / APPELLATIONS / DISTINCTIONS". defense.gouv.ci (in French). Ministère de la Défense. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
8. "Kenya Air Force commissioned officer's ranks". mod.go.ke. Ministry of Defence - Kenya. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
9. "Defense Act of 2008" (PDF). 3 September 2008. p. 8. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
10. Tartter, Jean R. (1989). "National Security". In Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.). Libya: a country study. Area Handbook (4th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 270–271. LCCN   88600480 . Retrieved 28 October 2021.
11. "LOI N° 96-029 portant Statut Général des Militaires" (PDF). defense.gov.mg (in French). Ministry of Defence (Madagascar). 15 November 1996. p. 2. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
12. "2011 - Plaquette sur les insignes et blasons des Forces Armées du Mali" (in French). 23 April 2011. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
13. "رتب الضباط" [Officer ranks]. armee.mr/ (in Arabic). Armed Forces of Mauritania. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
14. Ehrenreich, Frederich (1985). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold D. (ed.). Morocco: a country study . Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American University. pp. 350–351. LCCN   85600265 . Retrieved 16 September 2023.
15. "Government Notice" (PDF). Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia. Vol. 4547. 20 August 2010. pp. 99–102. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
16. Smaldone, Joseph P. (1992). "National Security". In Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.). Nigeria: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 296–297. LCCN   92009026 . Retrieved 21 October 2021.
17. "RDF Insignia". mod.gov.rw. Government of the Republic of Rwanda. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
18. "Rank structure". spdf.sc. Seychelles People's Defence Forces. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
19. Ehrenreich, Frederick (1982). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold N. (ed.). Somalia: a country study (PDF). Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 257. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
20. "Rank Insignia". af.mil.za. Department of Defence (South Africa). Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
21. "الرتب العسكرية" [Military ranks]. mod.gov.sd/ (in Arabic). Republic of Sudan Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 19 November 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
22. "Journal officiel de la république togolaise" (PDF) (in French). 12 February 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
23. "Décret n° 72-380 du 6 décembre 1972, portant Statut particulier des militaires". legislation-securite.tn (in French). Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance. 6 December 1972. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
24. "RANKS AND BADGES IN THE AFZ". afz.gov.zw. Air Force of Zimbabwe. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2021.