Ranks of the Royal Australian Air Force: Difference between revisions
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Unlike the RAF, RAAF rank abbreviations are always written in uppercase without spaces (e.g. Pilot Officer is written as PLTOFF, not Plt Off). Also, the RAAF does not have the ranks of Senior Aircraftman, Junior Technician, Chief Technician or Master Aircrew. |
Unlike the RAF, RAAF rank abbreviations are always written in uppercase without spaces (e.g. Pilot Officer is written as PLTOFF, not Plt Off). Also, the RAAF does not have the ranks of Senior Aircraftman, Junior Technician, Chief Technician or Master Aircrew. |
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The rank insignia is very similar to that of the RAF, with the exception of Leading Aircraftman (LAC)/Leading Aircraftwoman (LACW) which is one chevron (two bladed propeller in RAF). Both officers and airmen wear rank insignia on the chest when wearing |
The rank insignia is very similar to that of the RAF, with the exception of Leading Aircraftman (LAC)/Leading Aircraftwoman (LACW) which is one chevron (two bladed propeller in RAF). Both officers and airmen wear rank insignia on the chest when wearing General Purpose Uniform or Disruptive Pattern Combat Uniform. Rank insignia is worn on the shoulder in all other orders of dress with the exception of the Service Dress tunic (where it is worn on the lower sleeve for officers and Warrant Officers and the upper sleeve for airmen) and the working uniform of Physical Training Instructors where it is worn on the sleeve. The word 'Australia' appears immediately below all rank insignia worn on the shoulder or chest. |
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The most senior active rank of the RAAF, [[Air Marshal (Australia)|Air Marshal]]{{spaced endash}} a [[three-star rank]], is held by the [[Chief of Air Force (Australia)|Chief of Air Force]].{{efn|Other joint 3-star positions available to RAAF officers are [[VCDF]], [[CJOPS]], and [[CCDG]].}} On the occasions that the [[Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)|Chief of the Defence Force]] is an office of the RAAF, the rank of [[Air chief marshal (Australia)|Air Chief Marshal]] in awarded to the officer. The rank of [[Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force]] has never been held as an active rank and it is currently held as an honorary rank by HRH [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]].<ref name=allison>{{cite book |author1=Allison, Ronald |author2=Riddell, Sarah |title=The Royal encyclopedia |page=30 |publisher=Macmillan Press |year=1991 }}</ref> |
The most senior active rank of the RAAF, [[Air Marshal (Australia)|Air Marshal]]{{spaced endash}} a [[three-star rank]], is held by the [[Chief of Air Force (Australia)|Chief of Air Force]].{{efn|Other joint 3-star positions available to RAAF officers are [[VCDF]], [[CJOPS]], and [[CCDG]].}} On the occasions that the [[Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)|Chief of the Defence Force]] is an office of the RAAF, the rank of [[Air chief marshal (Australia)|Air Chief Marshal]] in awarded to the officer. The rank of [[Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force]] has never been held as an active rank and it is currently held as an honorary rank by HRH [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]].<ref name=allison>{{cite book |author1=Allison, Ronald |author2=Riddell, Sarah |title=The Royal encyclopedia |page=30 |publisher=Macmillan Press |year=1991 }}</ref> |
Revision as of 19:42, 1 March 2019
The rank structure of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has been inherited from the Royal Air Force (RAF). The RAF based its officer ranks on the Royal Navy, and its airmen ranks on the British Army.
Unlike the RAF, RAAF rank abbreviations are always written in uppercase without spaces (e.g. Pilot Officer is written as PLTOFF, not Plt Off). Also, the RAAF does not have the ranks of Senior Aircraftman, Junior Technician, Chief Technician or Master Aircrew.
The rank insignia is very similar to that of the RAF, with the exception of Leading Aircraftman (LAC)/Leading Aircraftwoman (LACW) which is one chevron (two bladed propeller in RAF). Both officers and airmen wear rank insignia on the chest when wearing General Purpose Uniform or Disruptive Pattern Combat Uniform. Rank insignia is worn on the shoulder in all other orders of dress with the exception of the Service Dress tunic (where it is worn on the lower sleeve for officers and Warrant Officers and the upper sleeve for airmen) and the working uniform of Physical Training Instructors where it is worn on the sleeve. The word 'Australia' appears immediately below all rank insignia worn on the shoulder or chest.
The most senior active rank of the RAAF, Air Marshal – a three-star rank, is held by the Chief of Air Force.[a] On the occasions that the Chief of the Defence Force is an office of the RAAF, the rank of Air Chief Marshal in awarded to the officer. The rank of Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force has never been held as an active rank and it is currently held as an honorary rank by HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.[1]
Officers
Air Officers
Insignia | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Title | Marshal of the RAAF | Air Chief Marshal | Air Marshal | Air Vice-Marshal | Air Commodore |
Abbreviation | MRAAF | ACM | AIRMSHL | AVM | AIRCDRE |
ADF Code | - | O-10 | O-9 | O-8 | O-7 |
NATO Code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 |
Army Equivalent | Field marshal | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier[b] |
Navy Equivalent | Admiral of the Fleet | Admiral | Vice Admiral | Rear Admiral | Commodore |
Senior Officers
Insignia | |||
---|---|---|---|
Title | Group Captain | Wing Commander | Squadron Leader |
Abbreviation | GPCAPT | WGCDR | SQNLDR |
ADF Code | O-6 | O-5 | O-4 |
NATO Code | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 |
Army Equivalent | Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | Major |
Navy Equivalent | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant Commander |
Junior Officers
Insignia | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Title | Flight Lieutenant | Flying Officer | Pilot Officer | Officer Cadet |
Abbreviation | FLTLT | FLGOFF | PLTOFF | OFFCDT |
ADF Code | O-3 | O-2 | O-1 | |
NATO Code | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF-1 | |
Army Equivalent | Captain | Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | Staff Cadet (RMC) Officer Cadet (ADFA) |
Navy Equivalent | Lieutenant | Sub Lieutenant | Acting Sub Lieutenant | Midshipman |
Other ranks
Warrant Officer
Insignia | |
---|---|
Title | Warrant Officer |
Abbreviation | WOFF |
ADF Code | E-9 |
Army Equivalent | Warrant Officer Class 1 |
Navy Equivalent | Warrant Officer |
Non-Commissioned Officers
Insignia | |||
---|---|---|---|
Title | Flight Sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal |
Abbreviation | FSGT | SGT | CPL |
ADF Code | E-8 | E-6 | E-5 |
Army Equivalent | Warrant Officer Class 2 | Sergeant | Corporal |
Navy Equivalent | Chief Petty Officer | Petty Officer | Leading Seaman |
Airmen
Insignia | ||
---|---|---|
Title | Leading Aircraftman/Leading Aircraftwoman | Aircraftman/Aircraftwoman |
Abbreviation | LAC/LACW | AC/ACW |
ADF Code | E-3 | E-1/2 |
Army Equivalent | Private Proficient[2] | Private |
Navy Equivalent | Able Seaman | Seaman |
Special insignia
Insignia | |
---|---|
Title | Warrant Officer of the Air Force |
Abbreviation | WOFF-AF |
Rank | WOFF |
ADF Code | E-10 |
Army Equivalent | Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army Rank:Warrant Officer |
Navy Equivalent | Warrant Officer of the Navy Rank:Warrant Officer |
See also
- Australian Defence Force ranks and insignia
- Australian Army officer rank insignia
- Australian Army enlisted rank insignia
References and notes
Notes
- ^ Other joint 3-star positions available to RAAF officers are VCDF, CJOPS, and CCDG.
- ^ Note that although all three ranks are equivalent, and all three ranks are "1 star" positions, an Air Commodore is considered an "Air Officer", a Commodore is considered an "Admiral", but a Brigadier is not a "General". Until about 1922, many Commonwealth nations used the rank of Brigadier General, with a similar rank insignia, but by the end of the 1920s, Australia had replaced it with the rank of Brigadier, and a rank insignia similar to that of the Senior Officer rank of Colonel. Hence, in the Australian army, a Brigadier is a Senior Officer, not a General.
References
- ^ Allison, Ronald; Riddell, Sarah (1991). The Royal encyclopedia. Macmillan Press. p. 30.
- ^
The relevant regulations for equivalent ranks for "Private Proficient" are:
- Navy - ABR 10 Chapter 5 Para 5.11
- Army - PACMAN Vol 2, Chap 3, Part 2, Division 3, Para 3.2.30(1.)
- Airforce - Defence Instruction (Airforce) Personnel 5-4, Para 5.4