Comparative Military Ranks

The military rank system is a means of categorizing the hierarchy of an armed force. This list compares the military ranks of various countries and organizations as currently in use.

Officer Ranks

For a comparison of major participants in the First and Second World War see:
Comparative military ranks of World War I
Comparative military ranks of World War II
Other references:
U.S. Army officer rank insignia
U.S. Air Force officer rank insignia
U.S. Marine Corps officer rank insignia
U.S. Navy officer rank insignia
British Army officer rank insignia
Russian military ranks
Ranks of the Israeli Defence Forces.
Military rank for details on the history of the rank system.
For more extensive lists of ranks in different languages see:
Air force officer ranks
Army officer ranks
Naval officer ranks

British, US, Canadian and Russian officer ranks

NATO Rank code British Army and Royal Marines3 US Army, USAF and USMC Royal Navy US Navy RAF1 Canadian Forces Land Force Command and Canadian Forces Air Command Canadian Forces Maritime Command Russian Ground Forces and Russian Air Force6 Russian Navy
rowspan=2 | OF-102 rowspan=2 |Field Marshal4 (FM) rowspan=2 |General of the Army
General of the Air Force
(no USMC equiv)
rowspan=2 |Admiral of the Fleet rowspan=2 |Fleet Admiral (FADM) rowspan=2 |Marshal of the Royal Air Force (MRAF) rowspan=2 |  rowspan=2 |  Маршал Российской Федерации
Marshal of the Russian Federation
rowspan=2 |Адмирал флота
Admiral of the Fleet
Генерал армии
General of the Army
OF-9 General (Gen) General (Gen) Admiral (Adm) Admiral (ADM) Air Chief Marshal (ACM) General Admiral (Adm) Генерал-полковник
Colonel-General
Адмирал
Admiral
OF-8 Lieutenant-General
(Lt Gen)
Lieutenant General (LtGen) Vice-Admiral (VAdm) Vice Admiral (VADM) Air Marshal (AM) Lieutenant-General (LGen) Vice-Admiral (VAdm) Генерал-лейтенант
Lieutenant-General
Вице-адмирал
Vice Admiral
OF-7 Major-General (Maj Gen) Major General (MG/MajGen) Rear-Admiral (RAdm) Rear Admiral (Upper Half) (RADM) Air Vice-Marshal (AVM) Major-General (MGen) Rear-Admiral (RAdm) Генерал-майор
Major-General
Контр-адмирал
Rear Admiral
OF-6 Brigadier (Brig) Brigadier General (BG/BrigGen) Commodore (Cdre) Rear Admiral (Lower Half) (RDML) Air Commodore (ACdre) Brigadier-General (BGen) Commodore (Cdre)    
OF-5 Colonel (Col) Colonel (COL/Col) Captain (Capt) Captain (CAPT) Group Captain (Gp Capt) Colonel (Col) Captain (N) (Capt (N)) Полковник
Colonel
Капитан 1го ранга
Captain of the 1st Rank
OF-4 Lieutenant-Colonel
(Lt Col)
Lieutenant Colonel (LTC/LtCol) Commander (Cdr) Commander (CDR) Wing Commander (Wg Cdr) Lieutenant-Colonel (LCol) Commander (Cdr) Подполковник
Lieutenant Colonel
Капитан 2го ранга
Captain of the 2nd Rank
OF-3 Major (Maj) Major (MAJ/Maj) Lieutenant Commander
(Lt Cdr)
Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr or SL) Major (Maj) Lieutenant Commander (LCdr) Майор
Major
Капитан 3го ранга
Captain of the 3rd Rank
OF-2 Captain (Capt) Captain (CPT/Capt) Lieutenant (Lt) Lieutenant (LT) Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt or FL) Captain (Capt) Lieutenant (N) (Lt (N)) Капитан
Captain
Капитан-лейтенант
Captain-Lieutenant
rowspan=3 | OF-1 rowspan=2 | Lieutenant (Lt) rowspan=2 | First Lieutenant (1LT/1Lt) rowspan=2 | Sub Lieutenant (SLt)5 rowspan=2 | Lieutenant, Junior Grade (LT(JG)) rowspan=2 | Flying Officer (FO) rowspan=2 | Lieutenant (Lt) rowspan=2 | Sub-Lieutenant (SLt) Старший лейтенант
Senior Lieutenant
Старший лейтенант
Senior Lieutenant
Лейтенант
Lieutenant
Лейтенант
Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
(2Lt)
Second Lieutenant (2LT/2Lt)
Ensign (ENS) Pilot Officer (PO) Second Lieutenant (2Lt) Acting Sub-Lieutenant (A/SLt) Младший лейтенант
Junior Lieutenant
Младший лейтенант
Junior Lieutenant
OF(D) Officer Designate4
Midshipman (Mid)
Officer Designate



Student Officer Officer Cadet (OCdt) Cadet Officer Cadet (OCdt) Midshipman (MIDN) or Officer Candidate (OC) 7 Officer Cadet (OCdt) Officer Cadet (OCdt) Naval Cadet Курсант
Cadet
Курсант
Cadet
Note that the US military usually uses O-1 to O-11 to symbolize officer, and not the NATO codes of OF-1 to OF-10 in which all subaltern officers are classed as OF-1 (O-1 and O-2 in US). Not listed are US warrant officers. In accordance with Army Regulation (AR) 135-100 , Department of the Army Pamphlet (DA Pam) 600-11 and Army Field Manual (FM) 22-100 (para A-3) http://www.usawoa.org/ArmyWOdefined.htm, a warrant officer is an officer who can and does command, carry out military justice actions and sits both selection and promotion boards. A warrant officer is a single-track specialty officer, initially appointed by the Secretary of the Army, he/she receives a commission upon promotion to Chief Warrant Officer Two (CW2). Notes to table above
  1. RAF-style ranks are also used by the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Nigerian Air Force, Indian Air Force, Pakistan Air Force, Bangladesh Air Force and Sri Lanka Air Force. The Ghana Air Force and Air Force of Zimbabwe (previously Royal Rhodesian Air Force) also use the same basic system, but replace Pilot Officer and Flying Officer with Air Sub Lieutenant and Air Lieutenant. The Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Malaysian Air Force also previously used the system.
  2. OF-10 ranks in the United States can only be attained during war time. This is also now generally the case in the UK, although provision is made to award them under special circumstances in peacetime (no promotions to these ranks have been made since they were generally suspended in 1997).
  3. The Royal Marines rank alongside their army equivalents. However, when borne on the books of any of HM Ships or Naval Establishments Royal Marines are subject to the Naval Discipline Act 1957 and in these circumstances many officer ranks in the Royal Marines enjoy greater status. Second Lieutenants are equivalent to Sub Lieutenants and ranks from Lieutenant to Major may be considered equivalent to one rank higher (OF-2 to OF-4). Lieutenant Colonels are considered equivalent to RN Captains with less than six years in the rank, and Colonels would be equivalent to Captains with more than six years seniority. Higher ranks follow the equivalence on the table above.
  4. Not used in the Royal Marines.
  5. Junior to equivalents in other services.
  6. For Russian military ranks transliterations, please see Russian military ranks
  7. Depends on Officer commissioning Program, Naval Academy, Merchant Marine Academy and NROTC are MIDN, Seaman-to-Admrial 21 (STA-21), and Officer Candidate School are OC.

Enlisted ranks

Other references:
U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia
U.S. Air Force enlisted rank insignia
U.S. Marine Corps enlisted rank insignia
U.S. Navy enlisted rank insignia
British Army enlisted rank insignia
German Armed Forces enlisted rank insignia
Russian Forces Ranks
Ranks of the Israeli Defence Forces.

US enlisted ranks, British other ranks, & Canadian Non-Commisioned Members

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
NATO Rank code US Army USAF USMC USN British Army Royal Marines Royal Navy RAF Canadian Army and Air Force
OR-9 Sergeant Major of the Army Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF) Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Warrant Officer Class 12 (WO1) (most senior appointments9) Warrant Officer Class 12 (WO1) (Regimental Sergeant Major) Warrant Officer Class 12 (WO1) Warrant Officer2 (WO)/Master Aircrew (MAcr) Chief Warrant Officer (CWO)
Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Command Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) Sergeant Major (SgtMaj) Command Master Chief Petty Officer (CMCPO) Warrant Officer Class 12 (WO1) (Regimental Sergeant Major etc11)
Sergeant Major (SGM) Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt) Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO) Warrant Officer Class 12 (WO1) (other appointments) Warrant Officer Class 12 (WO1) (other appointments)
OR-8 First Sergeant (1SG) Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt) First Sergeant (1st Sgt) Senior Chief Petty Officer (SCPO) Warrant Officer Class 22 (WO2) (Company Sergeant Major etc12) Warrant Officer Class 22 (WO2) (Company Sergeant Major) Warrant Officer Class 22 (WO2)3 No OR-8 equivalent Master Warrant Officer (MWO)
Master Sergeant (MSG) Master Sergeant (MSgt) Warrant Officer Class 22 (WO2) (other appointments) Warrant Officer Class 22 (WO2) (other appointments)
OR-7 Sergeant First Class (SFC)/Platoon Sergeant Master Sergeant (MSgt) Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) Chief Petty Officer (CPO) Staff Sergeant14 (SSgt)/
Colour Sergeant13 (CSgt)/
Staff Corporal8 (SCpl)
Colour Sergeant (CSgt) Chief Petty Officer3 (CPO) Flight Sergeant (FS) Warrant Officer(WO)
Chief Technician 7 (CT)
OR-6 Staff Sergeant (SSG) Technical Sergeant (TSgt) Staff Sergeant (SSgt) Petty Officer 1st Class (PO1) Sergeant (Sgt)/
Corporal of Horse8 (CoH)
Sergeant (Sgt) Petty Officer (PO) Sergeant (Sgt) Sergeant (Sgt)
OR-5 4 Sergeant (SGT) Staff Sergeant (SSgt) Sergeant (Sgt) Petty Officer 2nd Class (PO2)
OR-4 Corporal (CPL)/Specialist (SPC) Senior Airman (SrA) Corporal (Cpl) Petty Officer 3rd Class (PO3) Corporal (Cpl)/
Bombardier15 (Bdr)/
Lance-Sergeant16 (LSgt)/
Lance-Corporal of Horse8 (LCoH)
Corporal (Cpl) Leading Rate5 Corporal (Cpl)Master Corporal (MCpl)
OR-3 Private First Class (PFC) Airman First Class (A1C) Lance Corporal (LCpl) Seaman (SN) Lance-Corporal (LCpl)/
Lance-Bombardier15 (LBdr)
Lance-Corporal (LCpl) No OR-3 equivalent No OR-3 equivalent10 Corporal (Cpl)
OR-2 Private (PV2) Airman (Amn) Private First Class (PFC) Seaman Apprentice (SA) Private (Pte) etc17 (Classes 1 to 3) etc Marine6 (Mne)/
Musician (Mus)/
Bugler
Able Rate6 Junior Technician 7 (JT) Private (Pte)
Senior Aircraft(wo)man (SAC(W))
Leading Aircraft(wo)man (LAC(W))
OR-1 Private (PV1) Airman Basic (AB) Private (Pvt) Seaman Recruit (SR) Private (Pte) etc17 (Class 4)/Junior Marine6 (Mne)/
Musician (Mus)/
Bugler
Able Rate6 Aircraft(wo)man (AC(W)) Private Recruit (Pte (R))
Notes to table above
  1. Pay grade is used in the US military as to normalize the equivalent enlisted and officer ranks respectively. For example, the base pay of an E-8 is the same in the Air Force and the Army. In theory, those two E-8s will have equivalent levels of seniority and responsibility. When enlisted men from several services are together, the senior enlisted man is responsible for the group. For comparing ranks with other countries the Paygrade numbers match with the NATO Codes for Enlisted (Other) ranks. Hence E-1, at least for this purpose, can be considered same as OR-1, E-2 as OR-2 and so on. Also note that the British Armed Forces do not actually use the term Enlisted Ranks. The equivalent in the Royal Navy is Ratings and in the other services is Other Ranks (formally, at least in the past, Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men).
  2. A Warrant Officer in UK service is a senior non-commissioned rank not comparable to the various grades of Warrant Officer in the US, although holding the Queen's Warrant and with certain privileges similar to those of officers. In the Army and Royal Marines, they are referred to by their appointment, of which there are many (for example, Regimental Sergeant Major is a WO1 appointment). The US rank is held by single track career specialists (ranking between Enlisted Ranks and 2nd Lieutenant) and have no NATO equivalent. An RN Warrant Officer Class 1 incorporated the former rank of Fleet Chief Petty Officer.
  3. The RN created the rate of Warrant Officer Class 2 on 1 April 2004. Previously, there was a rate of Charge Chief Petty Officer, who usually ranked as OR-7, although above other CPOs. A Charge Chief Artificer (a highly-qualified technical CCPO) could be given a NATO OR-8 status, but still ranked below WO2 in the Army and Royal Marines. On the creation of WO2, all CCPOs were upgraded to this rate.
  4. British Sergeants/Petty Officers are seen as equal to E5 and E6 although Corporals as well as Sergeants may appointed to an official OR-5 (i.e. E-5) military role as is suited to the particular situation.
  5. Leading Rate is junior to Corporals in the other services
  6. From April 1, 1999 Able Rating and Ordinary Rating merged, Marine 1st Class and Marine 2nd Class merged, and Junior Rating and Junior Marine were abolished.
  7. Technical trades and musicians only.
  8. Household Cavalry.
  9. The most senior WO1s are, in descending order, the Conductors (Cdr) of the Royal Logistic Corps, the Academy Sergeant Major (AcSM), and the Garrison Sergeant Major (GSM) of the London District
  10. The rank of Junior Corporal is used by the RAF Section of the Combined Cadet Force as an equivalent to OR-3.
  11. Includes Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM), Garrison Sergeant Major (GSM), and Household Cavalry Regimental Corporal Major (RCM). These appointments not actually senior to other WO1 appointments.
  12. Includes Company Sergeant Major (CSM), Squadron Sergeant Major (SSM), Royal Artillery Battery Sergeant Major (BSM), Household Cavalry Squadron Corporal Major (SCM), and Band Sergeant Major. These appointments not actually senior to other WO2 appointments.
  13. Infantry regiments.
  14. Staff Sergeants can also hold other appointments, such as Company Quartermaster Sergeant.
  15. Royal Artillery.
  16. Brigade of Guards.
  17. Trooper (Tpr) in the Household Cavalry, Royal Armoured Corps and Special Air Service; Gunner (Gnr) in the Royal Artillery; Sapper (Spr) in the Royal Engineers; Signaller (Sig) in the Royal Corps of Signals; Air Trooper (ATpr) in the Army Air Corps; Guardsman (Gdm) in Foot Guards regiments; Fusilier (Fus) in Fusilier regiments; Kingsman in the King's Regiment; Rifleman (Rfm) in the Royal Green Jackets and Royal Gurkha Rifles; Highlander in The Highlanders; Craftsman (Cfn) in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers; Musician (Mus) in the Corps of Army Music; Drummer (Dmr), Trumpeter (Tptr), Bugler, or Piper (Ppr) if appropriate.

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