The Tatmadaw, also known as Sit-Tat, is the armed forces of Myanmar. It is administered by the Ministry of Defence and composed of the Myanmar Army, the Myanmar Navy and the Myanmar Air Force. Auxiliary services include the Myanmar Police Force, the Border Guard Forces, the Myanmar Coast Guard, and the People's Militia Units. Since independence in 1948, the Tatmadaw has faced significant ethnic insurgencies, especially in Chin, Kachin, Kayin, Kayah, and Shan states. General Ne Win took control of the country in a 1962 coup d'état, attempting to build an autarkic society called the Burmese Way to Socialism. Following the violent repression of nationwide protests in 1988, the military agreed to free elections in 1990, but ignored the resulting victory of the National League for Democracy and imprisoned its leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The 1990s also saw the escalation of the conflict involving Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State due to RSO attacks on the Tatmadaw forces, which saw the Rohingya minority facing oppression and, starting in 2017, genocide.
A five-star rank is the highest military rank in many countries. The rank is that of the most senior operational military commanders, and within NATO's standard rank scale it is designated by the code OF-10. Not all armed forces have such a rank, and in those that do the actual insignia of the five-star ranks may not contain five stars. For example: the insignia for the French OF-10 rank maréchal de France contains seven stars; the insignia for the Portuguese marechal contains four gold stars. The stars used on the various Commonwealth of Nations rank insignias are sometimes colloquially referred to as pips, but in fact either are stars of the orders of the Garter, Thistle or Bath or are Eversleigh stars, depending on the wearer's original regiment or corps, and are used in combination with other heraldic items, such as batons, crowns, swords or maple leaves.
The Myanmar Army is the largest branch of the Tatmadaw, the armed forces of Myanmar, and has the primary responsibility of conducting land-based military operations. The Myanmar Army maintains the second largest active force in Southeast Asia after the People's Army of Vietnam. It has clashed against ethnic and political insurgents since its inception in 1948.
Senior general is the highest rank in the Tatmadaw, only held by the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services (CinCDS). Since 2011, an officer appointed as CinCDS has to be quickly promoted one higher rank every year until he get the rank of Senior general.
Myint Swe is a Burmese politician and retired army officer who is currently Vice President of Myanmar since 30 March 2016 and previously served as Acting President of Myanmar from 1 February 2021 to 22 July 2024 making him the longest serving Acting President in Myanmar history. He also served as the acting president after the resignation of President Htin Kyaw from 21 March 2018 to 30 March 2018, and the chief minister of Yangon Region from 30 March 2011 to 30 March 2016. A member of the military proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party, he is an ethnic Mon former lieutenant general in the Myanmar Army.
The Cabinet of Myanmar, officially the Union Government, is the executive body of the government of Myanmar led by the prime minister of Myanmar. The Provisional Government serves as the current cabinet.
Min Aung Hlaing is a Burmese army general who has ruled Myanmar as the chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC) since seizing power in the February 2021 coup d'état. He additionally appointed himself Prime Minister of Myanmar in August 2021, and assumed presidential duties in July 2024. He has led the Tatmadaw, an independent branch of government, as the Commander-in-chief of Defence Services since March 2011, when he was handpicked to succeed longtime military ruler Senior General Than Shwe, who transferred leadership over the country to a civilian government upon retiring. Before assuming leadership over the Tatmadaw, Min Aung Hlaing served as Joint Chief of Staff from 2010 to 2011. Min Aung Hlaing is the first Defence Services Academy (DSA) graduate in Myanmar to lead a military coup as well as the first DSA graduate to become Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services.
Armed Forces Day, also known as Revolution Day, is the professional holiday of the Tatmadaw, celebrated annually on 27 March. It commemorates the start of Burmese Army's resistance to Japanese occupation in 1945. The name, Revolution Day, was first changed to Armed Forces Day by General Ne Win in 1974 as part of their propaganda. The holiday has been referred to as Anti-Fascist-Resistance Day by participants in the 2021 Myanmar protests.
Soe Win is a Burmese army general and the current Deputy Prime Minister of Myanmar. Appointed following the formation of the provisional government on 1 August 2021, he holds essential roles, including Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC), Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Tatmadaw, and Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Army. He is also a member of Myanmar's National Defence and Security Council (NDSC).
The Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services is the supreme commander of the Tatmadaw, the armed forces of Myanmar. Since a state of emergency was declared following the 2021 military coup d'état, the Commander-in-Chief has been the highest authority in the country, with plenary power delegated by the president and the National Defence and Security Council (NDSC). Even in peacetime, however, the Tatmadaw is an independent branch of government under control of the Commander-in-Chief, though certain actions of the Commander-in-Chief require the approval of the NDSC.
Mya Tun Oo is a Burmese army general and politician who currently serves as the Deputy Prime Minister of Myanmar and Minister of Defence of Myanmar since February 2023, prior to which he held the position of Minister of Defence and is a member of the State Administration Council (SAC) since February 2021. Mya Tun Oo is also a member of the National Defence and Security Council (NDSC) in his capacity as the Minister of Defence.
The chairman of the State Administration Council is the head of Myanmar's ruling military junta, established in the 2021 coup d'état. Min Aung Hlaing is the current holder of the office, and also serves as the prime minister of the Provisional Government.
Maung Maung Kyaw is a Burmese military officer who served on Myanmar's State Administration Council from 2021 to 2023. He previously served as Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Air Force from 2018 to 2022.
Aung Lin Dwe is a Burmese army general who is the secretary of Myanmar's State Administration Council (SAC). He was appointed on 2 February 2021, in the aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état. He was also the Judge Advocate General of the Tatmadaw and the secretary to the Peace Negotiation Committee.
Zaw Min Tun is a Burmese army general and the current Deputy Minister of Information in Myanmar. He serves concurrently as the chief of the Tatmadaw True News Information Team and heads the press team of the State Administration Council (SAC). His leadership positions within the military and government make him a crucial figure in Myanmar's current political landscape. Zaw Min Tun has been recognized as a senior spokesperson for the Myanmar Army, particularly following the military coup in February 2021 that led to widespread political unrest and public protests. His role has been significant in the communication strategies employed by the military during this period, ensuring the conveyance of the regime's narratives to both domestic and international audiences. He oversees the distribution of information through various state-controlled media outlets, which play a critical role in shaping public perception of the military's actions and policies.
The Provisional Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, is the provisional government of Myanmar under the current military junta, the State Administration Council. On 1 August 2021, it replaced the Management Committee of the State Administration Council, which had been in place since 19 February 2021, following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état. Some ministers were appointed by Min Aung Hlaing immediately following the coup on 1 February, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services exercising emergency powers.
In Myanmar Armed Forces, there are two different ranks, one higher than another, but both designated as four-star ranks.
Moe Aung is a Burmese naval admiral who currently serves as the commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Navy. He was appointed to this position following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'etat, succeeding Admiral Tin Aung San, who transitioned to a role of the State Administration Council (SAC), the military junta. As Commander-in-Chief, Moe Aung has overseen significant modernization efforts within the Myanmar Navy. His leadership has facilitated the acquisition of advanced naval assets, including new submarines, which have been crucial in enhancing Myanmar’s maritime defense capabilities. His tenure has focused on upgrading the navy's operational and strategic assets to improve its effectiveness. Moe Aung has played a key role in expanding the navy’s officer training programs, aimed at developing the skills and expertise of naval personnel. He has also been crucial in establishing strategic international partnerships with countries such as India and Russia.
Lieutenant General Myo Zaw Thein is a former Burmese military officer and vice-chair of the Union Solidarity and Development Party, the Burmese military's proxy political party.
