Ranks in the French Air and Space Force

Rank insignia in the French Air and Space Force are worn on the sleeve or on shoulder marks of uniforms

Officers

Although they all wear the same insignia and titles, officers are divided into:

  • Regular officers of the air force
  • Officers of the Armed Forces Commisariat Corps
  • Officers of the technical and administrative corps of the armed forces

Généraux - general officers

NATO
rank
Rank insignia Name Description
Shoulder Sleeve French English translation
OF-9 Général d'armée aérienne Army air general In command of an air force.
OF-8 Général de corps aérien Air corps general In command of an air force corps.
OF-7 Général de division aérienne Divisional air general In command of a division.
OF-6 Général de brigade aérienne Air brigade general In command of a brigade, or of a région in the Gendarmerie.

Officiers supérieurs - senior officers

NATO
rank
Rank insignia Name Notes
Shoulder Sleeve French English translation
OF-5 Colonel Colonel
OF-4 Lieutenant-colonel Lieutenant colonel
OF-3 Commandant Commandant Is equivalent to a major in most English-speaking countries.

Officiers subalternes - junior officers

NATO
rank
Rank insignia Name Notes
Shoulder Camouflage French English translation
OF-2 Capitaine Captain
OF-1 Lieutenant Lieutenant
Sous-lieutenant Sub-lieutenant
Aspirant Aspirant An Officer Designate rank. Technically it is not a commissioned rank but it is still treated in all respects as one. Aspirants are either officers in training in military academies or voluntaries, serving as temporary officers. The aspirant must have been previously élève officier (Officer Cadet). They can afterwards be commissioned as a sous-lieutenant.
Élève officier Officer cadet A rank held during the first years at the officer academies.

Sous-officiers - sub-officers, i.e. non-commissioned officers

NATO
rank
Rank insignia Name Notes
Shoulder French English translation
OR-9 Major Major The senior sub-officer rank, since 1 January 2009 this grade is attached to the sous-officiers. Prior to this date it was an independent corps between the sous-officiers and the officiers. There are relatively few majors in the army, about one per regiment or brigade. As they could hold equivalent administrative tasks as officiers they are more common in the Armée de l'Air.
Note the difference with many army rank systems of other countries where the term major is used for a rank above that of captain. For example, the rank of "major" in the US Army or British army is equivalent to the rank of "commandant" in the French army.
Adjudant-chef Chief Adjutant Chief Warrant Officer; often same responsibilities as the lieutenant.
OR-8 Adjudant Adjutant Warrant Officer; often same responsibilities as an adjudant-chef.
OR-6 Sergent-Chef Chief sergeant Addressed as "chef". Typically a platoon second-in-command (equivalent to a Commonwealth sergeant or a US sergeant first class).
OR-5 Sergent Sergeant Typically in command of a "group" (i.e. squad; equivalent to a commonwealth corporal or US staff sergeant)
Élève sous-officier NCO student NCO candidates at the EOPN.

Etymologically the adjudant is the adjoint ("joint (assistant)") of an officer, and the sergeant "serves" (Latin: serviens = English: servant).

Aspirants are cadet officers still in training. Sous-lieutenants are junior officers and are often aided by adjudants or adjudants-chefs, who are experienced NCOs/warrant officers.

Full lieutenants are experienced junior officers, served by sergeants when commanding their unit.

A four chevron sergent-chef-major rank existed until 1947. It was a ceremonial rank usually given to the most senior or experienced NCO in a unit, similar to a colour sergeant in the British Army. It was discontinued in the post-war army due to its redundancy.

Militaires du rang - Troop ranks

NATO
rank
Rank insignia Name Notes
Shoulder French English translation
OR-4 Caporal-chef Chief corporal Often same responsibilities as a sergent.
OR-3 Caporal Corporal In command of an équipe - literally a team (fireteam). Presently this size unit is a trinôme in the army.
OR-2 Aviateur de première classe Aviator first class
OR-1 Aviateur de deuxième classe Aviator second class

There are also distinctions to distinguish volunteers and conscripts, and bars for experience (one for five years, up to four can be obtained).

Military chaplains

Chief Military Chaplain
Deputy Chief Military Chaplain
Regional military chaplain
Military chaplain

Other Francophone ranks

Francophone officer ranks
NATO codeOF-10OF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6OF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1OF(D)Student officer
French Air and Space Force[1]
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
Rank group General/flag officers Field/senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
 Algerian Air Force[2]
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
مرشح
Murashah
Général d'armée Général de corps d'armée Général major Général Colonel Lieutenant colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous lieutenant Aspirant
Burkina Faso Air Force[3]
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
 Royal Cambodian Air Force
General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier general Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain 1st lieutenant 2nd lieutenant Officer cadet
 Cameroon Air Force
Général d'armée aérienne Général de corps aérien Général de division aérienne Général de brigade aérienne Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-Lieutenant
 Central African Air Force
Général de division Général de brigade Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-Lieutenant
 Chadian Air Force
Général de division aérienne Général de brigade aérienne Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-Lieutenant
Congolese Air Force[4]
Général d'armée Général de corps d'armée Général de division Général de brigade Colonel Lieutenant-colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-lieutenant Aspirant
 Djibouti Air Force
Général de brigade Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-Lieutenant
 Gabonese Air Force
Général d'armée Général de corps d'armée Général de division Général de brigade Colonel Lieutenant-colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-Lieutenant
 Guinea Air Force
Général d'armée Général de corps d'armée Général de division Général de brigade Colonel Lieutenant-colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-lieutenant
 Ivory Coast Air Force[5]
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
 Lebanese Air Force[6]
عماد
Eimad
لواء
Liwa
عميد
Amid
عقيد
Aqid
مقدّم
Muqaddam
رائد
Ra'id
نقيب
Naqib
ملازم أوّل
Mulazim awwal
ملازم
Mulazim
تلميذ ضابط سنة ثالثة
Tilmidh dabit sanat 3
تلميذ ضابط سنة ثانية
Tilmidh dabit sanat 2
تلميذ ضابط سنة أولى
Tilmidh dabit sanat 1
Madagascar Air Force[7]
Général d'armée Général de corps d'armée Général de division Général de brigade Colonel Lieutenant-colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-lieutenant
Malian Air Force[8]
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 Élève officier d'active
 Mauritania Islamic Air Force[9]
فريق
Fariq
لواء
Liwa
عميد
Amid
مقدم
Muqaddam
رائد
Ra'id
نقيب
Naqib
ملازم أول
Mulazim awwal
ملازم
Mulazim
Royal Moroccan Air Force[10]
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
 Niger Air Force
Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant
 Senegalese Air Force
Général de division Général de brigade Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-Lieutenant
Togolese Air Force[11]
Général de division aérienne Général de brigade aérienne Colonel Lieutenant-colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-lieutenant
 Tunisian Air Force[12]
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
Rank group General/flag officers Field/senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
Francophone enlisted ranks
NATO codeOR-9OR-8OR-7OR-6OR-5OR-4OR-3OR-2OR-1
French Air and Space Force[1]
Major Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal-chef Caporal Aviateur 1e classe Aviateur 2e classe
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
 Algerian Air Force[2]
No insignia
مساعد أول
Mosa'id awwal
مساعد
Mosa'id
رقيب أول
Raqib awwal
رقيب
Raqib
عريف أول
Earif 'awal
عريف
Earif
جندي
Jundiun
Adjudant chef Adjudant Sergent chef Sergent Caporal chef Caporal Djoundi
Burkina Faso Air Force[3][13]
No insignia
Adjudant-chef major Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal-chef Caporal Soldat de première classe Soldat de deuxeme classe
 Royal Cambodian Air Force
Warrant Officer Command Sergeant Major Master Sergeant Staff Sergeant Chief Corporal Corporal Airman 1st Class Airman 2nd Class Airman
 Cameroon Air Force
No insignia
Warrant Officer Class 1
Adjudant-chef
Warrant Officer Class 2
Adjudant
Flight sergeant
Sergent-chef
Sergeant
Sergent
Corporal
Caporal-chef
Lance Corporal
Caporal
Leading aircraftman
Soldat Première
Aircraftman
Soldat
 Central African Air Force
No insignia
Chief Warrant
Officer

Adjudant-chef
Warrant
Officer

Adjudant
Sergeant
Major

Sergent-major
Staff Sergeant
Sergent-chef
Career Sergeant
Sergent
Sergeant
Sergent
Corporal
Caporal-chef
Lance Corporal
Caporal
Private
First Class

Soldat Première
Private
Soldat
 Chadian Air Force
No insignia
Sergent-major Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal Soldat Première Soldat
Congolese Air Force[4]
No insignia
Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal-chef Caporal Soldat 1ère classe Soldat 2e classe
 Djibouti Air Force
Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal-chef Caporal Soldat Première Soldat
 Gabonese Air Force
Adjudant-chef major Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal-chef Caporal Soldat première Soldat
 Ivory Coast Air Force[5]
Adjudant-chef major Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal-chef Caporal Soldat de première classe Soldat de seconde classe
 Lebanese Air Force[6]
No insignia
مؤهل أول
Muahal 'awal
مؤهل
Muahal
معاون أوّل
Maawan 'awal
معاون
Maawan
رقيب أوّل
Raqib awwl
رقيب
Raqib
عريف أول
Earif 'awal
عريف
Earif
جندي أول
Jundiun 'awal
جندي
Jundiun
Madagascar Air Force[7]
No insignia
Adjudant-major Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-major Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal-chef Caporal Soldat
Malian Air Force[8]
Major Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal-chef Caporal Soldat de première classe Soldat
 Mauritania Islamic Air Force[14]
مساعد أول
Mosa'id awwal
مساعد
Mosa'id
رقيب أول
Raqib awwal
رقيب
Raqib
عريف
'arif
جندي
Jundiun
Royal Moroccan Air Force[10]
No insignia
Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-major Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal-chef Caporal Soldat de première classe Soldat de deuxième classe
 Niger Air Force
Warrant Officer Class 1
Adjudant-chef
Warrant Officer Class 2
Adjudant
Staff Sergeant
Sergent-chef
Sergeant
Sergent
Corporal
Caporal-chef
Lance Corporal
Caporal
Private First Class
Soldat de première classe
Private
Soldat
 Senegalese Air Force
No insignia
Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal-chef Caporal Soldat de première classe Soldat
Togolese Air Force[11]
No insignia
Major Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal-chef Caporal Soldat de 1ère classe Soldat de 2e classe
 Tunisian Air Force[12]
وكيل أعلى
Wakil 'aelaa
وكيل أول
Wakil 'awal
وكيل
Wakil
عريف أول
Earif 'awal
عريف
Earif
رقيب أول
Raqib 'awal
رقيب
Raqib
جندي أول
Jundiun awwal
جندي متطوع
Jundiun
Major Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal-chef Caporal Soldat de 1re classe Soldat
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted

See also

References

  1. "Les grades" (PDF). defense.gouv.fr (in French). Ministry of Armed Forces (France). Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  2. "Ranks". mdn.dz. Ministry of National Defence (Algeria). Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  3. "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.
  4. "Grades appellations distinctions". defense.gouv.cg (in French). Ministry of National Defense (Republic of the Congo). Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  5. "GRADES / APPELLATIONS / DISTINCTIONS". defense.gouv.ci (in French). Ministère de la Défense. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  6. "الرتب العسكرية". lebarmy.gov.lb (in Arabic). Lebanese Armed Forces. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  7. "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.
  8. "2011 - Plaquette sur les insignes et blasons des Forces Armées du Mali" (in French). 23 April 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  9. "رتب الضباط" [Officer ranks]. armee.mr/ (in Arabic). Armed Forces of Mauritania. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  10. Ehrenreich, Frederich (1985). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold D. (ed.). Morocco: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C. pp. 350–351. LCCN 85600265.
  11. "Journal officiel de la république togolaise" (PDF) (in French). 12 February 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  12. "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.
  13. "LOI N° 019-2015/CNT PORTANT STATUT GENERAL DES PERSONNELS DES FORCES ARMEES NATIONALES" (PDF) (in French). 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  14. "رتب الأفراد غير الضباط" [Ranks of Non-officers]. armee.mr/ (in Arabic). Armed Forces of Mauritania. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
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