RAF officer ranks

Origins

Lieutenant General David Henderson originally proposed that Royal Air Force officers use a combination of British Army and Royal Navy ranks. However, the War Office argued that the RAF should have its own ranks and the Admiralty opposed any use of their rank titles.

Badges of rank

On 1 April 1918, Air Force Memorandum 2 specified rank insignia for the newly established independent force. Rank was to be worn on the jacket cuff and was derived from the Royal Navy's rings, each equivalent rank having the same number of rings. However, second lieutenants (now pilot officers) displayed a crowned eagle only and the Navy's loop was not used for any rank. Depending on the uniform, either gold or pale blue on grey braid was worn.

In August 1918, Air Ministry Weekly Order 617 added a single band of 1/4 inch braid below the second lieutenant's eagle and all other officer ranks also received a crowned eagle above their braid.

In 1919 the colour of the rank braid was changed to black with a central pale blue stripe. However, on RAF mess dress rank continued to be displayed in gold.

Sleeve ranks

The ranks worn on the sleeve are common to all RAF uniform variants incorporating the Jacket. The centre of the rank (measured from the bottom of the lowest braid to the top of the highest) should be 3 3/4" (9.5 cm) from the cuff and each row of braiding should have a space of 1/8" (3mm) from other rows. The thinnest braid, as found on the pilot officer's rank (and in the middle of the squadron leader's rank), is 1/4" (6mm); the Flying Officer's braid common to all the ranks except air commodore and pilot officer, is 1/2" (14mm), and the thickest braid, as found on all air officer ranks, is 2" (51mm).

Shoulder boards

Distinctive shoulder boards (as shown) are worn by Marshals of the Royal Air Force.

Officers entitled to wear aiguillettes and/or the Royal Cypher, AVMs and above, the Director of Nursing Services, and those officers assigned to certain 1-Star posts, wear plain blue shoulder boards when in No 1 Service Dress.

AVMs and above and those officers assigned to the 1-Star posts of Comdt RAFC Cranwell, Air Officer Wales and Air Officer Scotland wear distinctive unranked ceremonial shoulder boards when in No 1A (ceremonial day) dress. If these officers wear a greatcoat, gold ranked shoulder straps in Crombie material are used.

Rank titles

As mentioned above, it was originally proposed that the RAF ranks were to be derived from existing Royal Navy and Army ranks. Both services were consulted and both reacted unfavourably—the Navy unhappy about the use of its higher ranks and the Army complaining it provided the "junior ranks". This resulted in a compromise whereby the officer ranks were proposed to be: ensign, lieutenant, flight leader, squadron leader, reeve, banneret, fourth ardian, third ardian, second ardian, ardian and air marshal. A further proposal was: ensign, lieutenant, flight-leader, squadron-leader, wing-leader, leader, flight ardian, squadron ardian, wing ardian, ardian, air marshal.

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, these contrived ranks were rejected and on 1 August 1919, Air Ministry Weekly Order 973 introduced new rank titles for RAF officers. They were based on Royal Navy ranks and their titles were influenced by the usage in the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) during World War I. For example, the RAF rank of flight lieutenant was based on the RNAS rank of the same name. The rank of squadron leader derived its name from the RNAS rank of squadron commander. Initially the highest rank was titled marshal of the air. However, only a few days after it was promulgated, this rank title was changed to marshal of the Royal Air Force at the request of King George V, his belief being that the former sounded too much like it encroached on the attributes of God.

Composite braid

RAF officers typically wear composite braid rank slides with their working and operational uniforms. Composite braid consists of a single piece of fabric, where the "background" between the rank rings is made from blue-grey or olive green material. Composite braid rank slides are often referred to as "bar-code" in RAF slang.

Distinction between ranks and appointments

Many RAF ranks do not imply the appointment or duties of an officer. For example, a Pilot Officer may well not be trained to pilot an aircraft. In fact pilots skip the rank of Pilot Officer and go from Cadet Officer to Flying Officer on graduation from officer training school at RAF Cranwell. A Squadron Leader does not necessarily command a squadron, nor a Wing Commander necessarily command a wing, nor a Group Captain command a group.

Air Cadet Organisation (Air Training Corps and Combined Cadet Force)

The majority of officers in the ACO are unpaid volunteers commissioned into the 'Training Branch' of the RAF Volunteer Reserve, RAFVR(T). They are identified as such by wearing of small gold-coloured insignia shaped as the letters VRT on the lapel or centrally on shoulder rank slides. In the RAFVR(T), the rank system for officers is identical to the regular RAF, but the highest substantive rank is Flying Officer. Higher ranks within the RAFVR(T) are acting appointments, up to Wing Commander. Other senior ranked appointments are generally full-time staff positions (such as regional commandants and Commandant Air Cadets) held by regular and reserve (RAFR/FTRS) RAF officers. In rare and special circumstances, Honorary Appointments within the RAFVR(T) may be made, however the rank may vary.

Other air forces

The following air forces use a similar or identical officer rank structure and rank insignia to the RAF:

The following air forces use a similar or identical officer rank structure to the RAF, but use army-style rank insignia:

The following air forces use rank insignia for their officers which are similar or identical to that of the RAF, but employ army rank titles:

The following air forces formerly used a similar or identical officer rank structure to the RAF:

The following air forces formerly used similar rank insignia to the RAF: