Comparative air force officer ranks of Europe

Last updated February 26, 2021

Rank comparison chart of all air forces of European states.

Officers (OF 1–10)

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
Albanian Air Force v t e	*No equivalent*
Albanian Air Force v t e	*No equivalent*			Gjenerallejtnant	Gjeneralmajor	Gjeneralbrigad	Kolonel	Nënkolonel	Major		Kapiten		Toger		Nëntoger
Belarusian Air Force v t e	No equivalent
Belarusian Air Force v t e	No equivalent			Colonel general (Генера́л-полко́вник)	Lieutenant general (Генера́л-лейтена́нт)	Major general (Генера́л-майо́р)	Polkovnik (Полко́вник)	Podpolkovnik (Подполко́вник)	Major (Майо́р)		Captain (Капита́н)		Senior Lieutenant (Ста́рший лейтена́нт)	Lieutenant (Лейтена́нт)		Junior Lieutenant (Мла́дший лейтена́нт)
Belgian Air Component v t e	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
Bulgaria Air Force v t e	No equivalent																No equivalent
		General		Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major		Captain		Senior Lieutenant		Lieutenant
		Генерал		Генерал-лейтенант	Генерал-майор	Бригаден генерал	Полковник	Подполковник	Майор		Капитан		Старши лейтенант		Лейтенант
Croatian Air Force v t e																	No equivalent
Croatian Air Force v t e	Stožerni general	General zbora		General pukovnik	General bojnik	Brigadni general	Brigadir	Pukovnik	Bojnik		Satnik		Natporučnik		Poručnik		No equivalent
Czech Air Force v t e	No equivalent																No equivalent
Czech Air Force v t e	No equivalent	Armádní generál		Generálporučík	Generálmajor	Brigádní generál	Plukovník	Podplukovník	Major		Kapitán		Nadporučík		Poručík		No equivalent
Royal Danish Air Force v t e	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
Estonian Air Force v t e	No equivalent																No equivalent
Estonian Air Force v t e	No equivalent	Kindral General		Kindralleitnant Lieutenant General	Kindralmajor Major General	Brigaadikindral Brigadier General	Kolonel Colonel	Kolonelleitnant Lieutenant Colonel	Major Major		Kapten Captain		Leitnant First Lieutenant	Nooremleitnant Second Lieutenant		Lipnik Ensign	No equivalent
French Air and Space Force v t e	No equivalent
French Air and Space Force v t e	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
Finland Air Force v t e	No equivalent
Finland Air Force v t e	No equivalent	Kenraali General		Kenraaliluutnantti Generallöjtnant	Kenraalimajuri Generalmajor	Prikaatikenraali Brigadgeneral	Eversti Överste	Everstiluutnantti Överstelöjtnant	Majuri Major		Kapteeni Kapten		Yliluutnantti Premiärlöjtnant	Luutnantti Löjtnant		Vänrikki Fänrik	Upseerikokelas Officersaspirant			Upseerioppilas Officerselev
Georgian Air Force v t e	No equivalent																Unknown
Georgian Air Force v t e	No equivalent	General (გენერალი)		Lieutenant General (გენერალ ლეიტენანტი)	Major General (გენერალ მაიორი)	Brigadier General (ბრიგადის გენერალი)	Colonel (პოლკოვნიკი)	Lieutenant Colonel (ლეიტენანტ პოლკოვნიკი)	Major (მაიორი)		Captain (კაპიტანი)		Senior Lieutenant (უფროსი ლეიტენანტი)	Lieutenant (ლეიტენანტი)		Junior Lieutenant (უმცროსი ლეიტენანტი)	Unknown
German Air Force v t e	No Equivalent																			Enlisted rank plus bottom thin silver cord indicating cadet's career
German Air Force v t e	No Equivalent	General		Generalleutnant	Generalmajor	Brigadegeneral	Oberst	Oberstleutnant	Major		Stabshauptmann	Hauptmann	Oberleutnant		Leutnant		Oberfähnrich	Fähnrich	Fahnenjunker
Hellenic Air Force v t e	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
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
Hungarian Air Force v t e	No equivalent																No equivalent			No insignia
		Colonel General		Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major		Captain		First Lieutenant		Second Lieutenant
		Vezérezredes		Altábornagy	Vezérőrnagy	Dandártábornok	Ezredes	Alezredes	Őrnagy		Százados		Főhadnagy		Hadnagy					Honvédtisztjelölt
Iceland	No air force
Irish Air Corps v t e	No equivalent
Irish Air Corps v t e	No equivalent				Major general Maor-ghinearál	Brigadier general Briogáidire-ghinearál	Colonel Coirnéal	Lieutenant colonel Leifteanantchoirnéal	Commandant Ceannfort		Captain Captaen		Lieutenant Leifteanant		Second lieutenant Dara-leifteanant		Officer cadet Dalta
Italian Air Force v t e																	No equivalent
Italian Air Force v t e	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		No equivalent
Kosovo	No air force
Latvian Air Force v t e	No equivalent																No equivalent
				Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major		Captain		First Lieutenant		Lieutenant
				Ģenerālleitnants	Ģenerālmajors	Brigādes ģenerālis	Pulkvedis	Pulkvežleitnants	Majors		Kapteinis		Virsleitnants		Leitnants
Liechtenstein	No air force
Lithuanian Air Force v t e	No equivalent																No equivalent
Lithuanian Air Force v t e	No equivalent			Generolas leitenantas	Generolas majoras	Brigados generolas	Pulkininkas	Pulkininkas leitenantas	Majoras		Kapitonas		Vyresnysis leitenantas		Leitenantas		No equivalent			Kariūnas
Luxembourg	No air force
North Macedonia Air Force v t e	No equivalent																Unknown
North Macedonia Air Force v t e	No equivalent	Army general (Армиски Генерал)		Colonel general (Генерал-Полковник)	Divisional general (Регионален генерал)	Brigadier general (Бригаден Генерал)	Colonel (Полковник)	Lieutenant colonel (Потполковник)	Major (Мајор)		Captain (Капетан)		Lieutenant (Поручник)		Second lieutenant (Потпоручник)		Unknown
Monaco	No air force
Montenegrin Air Force v t e	No equivalent																No equivalent
Montenegrin Air Force v t e	No equivalent	General Pukovnik		General Potpukovnik	General Major	Brigardir General	Pukovnik	Potpukovnik	Major		Kapetan		Poručnik		Potporučnik		No equivalent
Royal Netherlands Air Force v t e	*No equivalent*																			*No equivalent*
Royal Netherlands Air Force v t e	*No equivalent*	Generaal		Luitenant-generaal	Generaal-majoor	Commodore	Kolonel	Luitenant-kolonel	Majoor		Kapitein		Eerste-luitenant		Tweede-luitenant		Vaandrig			*No equivalent*
Royal Norwegian Air Force v t e	No equivalent																No equivalent
Royal Norwegian Air Force v t e	No equivalent	General		Generalløytnant	Generalmajor	Brigader	Oberst	Oberstløytnant	Major		Kaptein		Løytnant		Fenrik		No equivalent
Polish Air Force v t e																	*No equivalent*			Various
Polish Air Force v t e	Marszałek Polski	Generał		Generał broni	Generał dywizji	Generał brygady	Pułkownik	Podpułkownik	Major		Kapitan		Porucznik		Podporucznik		*No equivalent*			Podchorąży
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
Portuguese Air Force v t e																				Various
Portuguese Air Force v t e	Marechal	General		Tenente General	Major General	Brigadeiro General	Coronel	Tenente Coronel	Major		Capitão		Tenente		Alferes		Aspirante-a-Oficial			Cadete Aluno
Romanian Air Force v t e																	No equivalent
Romanian Air Force v t e	Mareșal	General		General-Locotenent	General-Maior	General de Flotilă Aeriană	Comandor	Căpitan-Comandor	Locotenent-Comandor		Căpitan		Locotenent		Sublocotenent		No equivalent
Russian Aerospace Forces v t e	No equivalent
Russian Aerospace Forces v t e	No equivalent	Army general генера́л а́рмии		Colonel general генера́л-полко́вник	Lieutenant general генера́л-лейтена́нт	Major general генера́л-майо́р	Colonel полко́вник	Lieutenant colonel подполко́вник	Major майо́р		Captain капита́н		Senior lieutenant ста́рший лейтена́нт	Lieutenant лейтена́нт		Junior lieutenant мла́дший лейтена́нт	Kursant Курсант
San Marino	No air force
Serbian Air Force and Air Defence v t e	No equivalent																Unknown
Serbian Air Force and Air Defence v t e	No equivalent	General (Генерал)		Lieutenant General (Генерал-Потпуковник)	Major General (Генерал-Мајор)	Brigadier General (Бригадни Генерал)	Colonel (Пуковник)	Lieutenant Colonel (Потпуковник)	Major (Мајор)		Captain 1st class (Капетан прве класе)	Captain (Капетан)	Lieutenant (Поручник)		Second Lieutenant (Потпоручник)		Unknown
Slovak Air Force v t e	No equivalent																No equivalent
Slovak Air Force v t e	No equivalent	Generál		Generálporučík^{[lower-alpha 1]}	Generálmajor	Brigádny Generál	Plukovník	Podplukovník	Major		Kapitán		Nadporučík		Poručík		No equivalent
Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence v t e	No equivalent																No equivalent
Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence v t e	No equivalent	General polkovnik		Generalpodpolkovnik	Generalmajor	Brigadir General	Polkovnik	Podpolkovnik	Major		Stotnik		Nadporočnik		Poročnik		No equivalent
Spanish Air Force v t e
Spanish Air Force v t e	Capitán General	General del Aire		Teniente General	General de División	General de Brigada	Coronel	Teniente Coronel	Comandante		Capitán		Teniente		Alférez		Oficial Cadete			Alumno
Swedish Air Force v t e	*No equivalent*
Swedish Air Force v t e	*No equivalent*	General		Generallöjtnant	Generalmajor	Brigadgeneral	Överste	Överstelöjtnant	Major		Kapten		Löjtnant		Fänrik		Kadett
Turkish Air Force v t e																	Various ^{[lower-alpha 2]}
Turkish Air Force v t e	Mareşal	Genelkurmay başkanlığı	Orgeneral	Korgeneral	Tümgeneral	Tuğgeneral	Albay	Yarbay	Binbaşı		Yüzbaşı		Üsteğmen	Teğmen		Asteğmen	Harbiyeli
Ukrainian Air Force v t e	No equivalent
		Генерал		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
Royal Air Force v t e																				No equivalent
Royal Air Force v t e	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			No equivalent
Vatican City	No air force
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

Notes

↑ The appropriate branch of service badge is pinned just under the top button of the for all ranks excluding full General.
↑ Student officer insignia designates school grade rather than military seniority.

Related Research Articles

Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1a rank.

Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these cases a flying officer usually ranks above pilot officer and immediately below flight lieutenant.

Squadron leader OF-3 rank in the Royal Air Force and other air forces

Squadron leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure.

Flight Lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and RAF, and as FLTLT in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) and has sometimes also been abbreviated as F/L in many services; however, it has never been correctly abbreviated as "lieutenant". A flight lieutenant ranks above flying officer and below a squadron leader and is sometimes used as an English language translation of a similar rank in non-English-speaking countries.

Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer.

Ranks and insignia of NATO are combined military insignia used by the member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

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

The comparative military ranks of Korea are the military insignia used by the two nations on the Korean Peninsula, those being the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and the Korean People's Army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The United States Forces Korea personnel wear the ranks and insignia used by other service personnel of the United States Armed Forces in the territories of the United States.

The Russian Federation inherited the ranks of the Soviet Union, although the insignia and uniform were altered slightly.

The following table presents images of the rank insignia used by the Russian Aerospace Forces. The Russia inherited the ranks of the Soviet Union, although the insignia and uniform was altered a little, especially the re-introduction of the old Tsarist crown and double eagle. The Russian Aerospace Forces follow the same rank structure as the Russian Ground Forces, with the addition of the title "of aviation" to each officer's rank, now abandoned.

The Indian Air Force's rank structure is based on that of the Royal Air Force. The highest rank attainable in the Indian Air Force is Marshal of the Indian Air Force, conferred by the President of India after exceptional service during wartime. MIAF Arjan Singh was the only officer to have achieved this rank. The head of the Indian Air Force is the Chief of the Air Staff, who holds the rank of Air Chief Marshal. The current Chief of the Air Staff is Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, took office on 30 September 2019.

The term used in the Royal Air Force (RAF) to refer to all ranks below commissioned officer level is other ranks (ORs). It includes warrant officers (WOs), non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and airmen.

This is a table of the ranks and insignia of the Mexican Navy. Spanish language ranks are in italics. Ranks of the Mexican Air Force and Mexican Army are almost identical.

Before Unification as the Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, the Canadian military had three distinct services: the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Canadian Army. All three services had a Regular (full-time) component and a reserve (part-time) component. The rank structure for these services were based on the services of the British military, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and the British Army. The change to a "Canadian" rank structure meant that many of the traditional (British) rank titles and insignia were removed or changed.

Vietnamese military ranks and insignia were specified by the National Assembly of Vietnam through the Law on Vietnam People's Army Officer on 30 December 1981.

The Republic of China Armed Forces in Taiwan has five rank schemes among different military branches, including Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Marine Corps, although being a part of the Navy, maintains a different insignia to other naval fleet personnel. The Military Police has insignia very similar to the Army, just with a slightly different green color. Under the current regulations, military ranks contain the following:

This article tackles the ranks and insignia of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is divided into three forces:

Lithuanian military ranks and insignia consist of the list and ordering of the different military ranks, for the officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the modern Lithuanian Armed Forces. The ranks are visually represented by insignias placed on the uniforms.

Rank comparison charts of armies/land forces of apartheid states and territories in Southern Africa.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[Solvak_General-1] The appropriate branch of service badge is pinned just under the top button of the for all ranks excluding full General.

[Turkey_Student-2] Student officer insignia designates school grade rather than military seniority.

[lower-alpha 1]

[lower-alpha 2]

Comparative air force officer ranks of Europe

Contents

Officers (OF 1–10)

Notes

See also

Related Research Articles