Comparative air force officer ranks of Africa

This is a rank comparison chart of air force officer ranks of African states.

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers
Algerian Air Force^[1] v t e
		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
		Général d'armée	Général de corps d'armée	Général de division	Général	Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-lieutenant
National Air Force of Angola^[2] v t e
National Air Force of Angola^[2] v t e		General-de-Aviação	General	Tenente-general	Brigadeiro	Coronel		Tenente-coronel	Major	Capitão	Tenente	Sub-tenente
Benin	No air force
Botswana Defence Force Air Wing^[3] v t e
Botswana Defence Force Air Wing^[3] v t e				Major general	Brigadier	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant
Burkina Faso Air Force^[4] v t e
Burkina Faso Air Force^[4] v t e		Général d'armée	Général de corps d'armée	Général de division	Général de brigade	Colonel-major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-lieutenant
Burundi	No air force
Cameroon Air Force v t e
Cameroon Air Force v t e		Général d'armée aérienne	Général de corps aérien	Général de division aérienne	Général de brigade aérienne	Colonel		Lieutenant-Colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-Lieutenant
Cape Verde	No air force
Central African Air Force v t e
Central African Air Force v t e				Général de division	Général de brigade	Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-lieutenant
Chadian Air Force v t e
Chadian Air Force v t e				Général de division aérienne	Général de brigade aérienne	Colonel		Lieutenant-Colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-Lieutenant
Comoros	No air force
Air Force of the DR Congo v t e
Air Force of the DR Congo v t e		Général d'armée	Lieutenant-général	Général-major	Général de brigade	Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel	Major	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-Lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers
Congolese Air Force^[5] v t e
Congolese Air Force^[5] v t e		Général d'armée	Général de corps	Général de division	Général de brigade	Colonel		Lieutenant-Colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-lieutenant
Djibouti Air Force v t e
Djibouti Air Force v t e					Général de brigade	Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-lieutenant
Egyptian Air Force v t e
Egyptian Air Force v t e		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
Equatorial Guinea Air Force v t e
Equatorial Guinea Air Force v t e				General de division	General de brigada	Coronel		Teniente coronel	Comandante	Capitán	Teniente	Alférez
Eritrean Air Force v t e
Eritrean Air Force v t e				Major general	Brigadier general	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant
Ethiopian Air Force v t e
Ethiopian Air Force v t e		ጄነራል Jēnerali	ሌተናል ጄነራል Lētenali jēnerali	ሜጀር ጄነራል Mējeri jēnerali	ብርጋዴር ጄነራል Birigadēri jēnerali	ኮሎኔል Kolonēli		ሌተናንት ኮሎኔል Lētenaniti kolonēli	ሻለቃ Shalek’a	ሻምበል Shamibeli	የመቶ ዓለቃ Yemeto ‘alek’a	ምክትል የመቶ ዓለቃ Mikitili yemeto ‘alek’a
Gabonese Air Force^[6] v t e
Gabonese Air Force^[6] v t e		Général d'armée	Général de corps d'armée	Général de division	Général de brigade	Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-Lieutenant
Gambia	No air force
Ghana Air Force^[7] v t e
Ghana Air Force^[7] v t e		Air chief marshal	Air marshal	Air vice-marshal	Air commodore	Group captain		Wing commander	Squadron leader	Flight lieutenant	Flying officer	Pilot officer
Guinea Air Force v t e
Guinea Air Force v t e		Général d'armée	Général de corps d'armée	Général de division	Général de brigade	Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-lieutenant
Guinea-Bissau	No air force
Ivory Coast Air Force^[8] v t e
Ivory Coast Air Force^[8] v t e		Général d'armée	Général de corps d'armée	Général de division	Général de brigade	Colonel-major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-lieutenant
Kenya Air Force^[9] v t e
Kenya Air Force^[9] v t e	Commander-in-Chief	General	Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second lieutenant
Lesotho Air Squadron v t e
Lesotho Air Squadron v t e			Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers
Liberian Air Wing^[10] v t e
Liberian Air Wing^[10] v t e						Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second lieutenant
Libyan Air Force^[11] v t e
Libyan Air Force^[11] v t e	مشير Mushir	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
Madagascar Air Force^[12] v t e
Madagascar Air Force^[12] v t e		Général d'armée	Général de corps d'armée	Général de division	Général de brigade	Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-lieutenant
Malawi Air Force v t e
Malawi Air Force v t e		General	Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier general	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant
Malian Air Force^[13] v t e
Malian Air Force^[13] v t e		Général d'armée	Général de corps d'armée	Général de division	Général de brigade	Colonel-major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-lieutenant
Mauritania Islamic Air Force^[14] v t e
Mauritania Islamic Air Force^[14] v t e			فريق Fariq	لواء Liwa		عميد Amid		مقدم Muqaddam	رائد Ra'id	نقيب Naqib	ملازم أول Mulazim awwal	ملازم Mulazim
Mauritius	No air force
Royal Moroccan Air Force^[15] v t e
Royal Moroccan Air Force^[15] v t e		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
Mozambique Air Force v t e
Mozambique Air Force v t e		Coronel General	Tenente General	Major General		Coronel		Tenente Coronel	Major	Capitão	Tenente	Alferes
Namibian Air Force^[16] v t e
Namibian Air Force^[16] v t e		Chief air marshal	Air marshal	Air vice marshal	Air commodore	Group captain		Wing commander	Squadron leader	Flight lieutenant	Flying officer	Pilot officer
Niger Air Force v t e
Niger Air Force v t e						Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-lieutenant
Nigerian Air Force^[17] v t e
Nigerian Air Force^[17] v t e	Marshal of the air force	Air chief marshal	Air marshal	Air vice-marshal	Air commodore	Group captain		Wing commander	Squadron leader	Flight lieutenant	Flying officer	Pilot officer
Rwandan Air Force^[18] v t e
Rwandan Air Force^[18] v t e		General	Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier general	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers
São Tomé and Príncipe	No air force
Senegalese Air Force v t e
Senegalese Air Force v t e				Général de division	Général de brigade	Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-lieutenant
Seychelles Air Force^[19] v t e
Seychelles Air Force^[19] v t e					Brigadier	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second lieutenant
Sierra Leone	No air force
Somali Air Force^[20] v t e
Somali Air Force^[20] v t e			Sareeye guud	Sareeye gaas	Sareeye guuto	Gashaanle sare		Gashaanle dhexe	Gashaanle	Dhamme	Laba xídígle	Xídígle
South African Air Force^[21] v t e
South African Air Force^[21] v t e		General	Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier general	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second lieutenant
South Sudan Air Force v t e
South Sudan Air Force v t e	Air marshal	General	Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier general	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant
Sudanese Air Force^[22] v t e
Sudanese Air Force^[22] v t e	مشیر Mushir	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
Swaziland	No air force
Tanzania Air Force v t e
Tanzania Air Force v t e		Jenerali	Luteni jenerali	Meja jenerali	Brigedia jenerali	Kanali		Luteni kanali	Meja	Kapteni	Luteni	Luteni usu
Togolese Air Force^[23] v t e
Togolese Air Force^[23] v t e				Général de division aérienne	Général de brigade aérienne	Colonel-major	Colonel	Lieutenant-colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-lieutenant
Tunisian Air Force^[24] v t e
			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
Ugandan Air Force v t e
Ugandan Air Force v t e		General	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier	Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant
Zambian Air Force v t e
Zambian Air Force v t e		General	Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier	Colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second lieutenant
Air Force of Zimbabwe^[25] v t e
Air Force of Zimbabwe^[25] v t e		Air chief marshal	Air marshal	Air vice-marshal	Air commodore	Group captain		Wing commander	Squadron leader	Flight lieutenant	Air lieutenant	Air sub-lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers				Junior officers

References

^ "Ranks". mdn.dz. Ministry of National Defence (Algeria). Retrieved 30 May 2021.
^ "Postos da Força Aérea Nacional". faa.ao (in Portuguese). Angolan Air Force. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
^ "Ranks". Government of Botswana. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
^ "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.
^ "Grades appellations distinctions". defense.gouv.cg (in French). Ministry of National Defense (Republic of the Congo). Retrieved 7 June 2021.
^ "Nos Galons". Ministère de la Défense nationale. 20 August 2021. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
^ "Rank Structure". gafonline.mil.gh. Ghana Air Force. 2018. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
^ "GRADES / APPELLATIONS / DISTINCTIONS". defense.gouv.ci (in French). Ministère de la Défense. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
^ "Kenya Air Force commissioned officer's ranks". mod.go.ke. Ministry of Defence - Kenya. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
^ "Defense Act of 2008" (PDF). 3 September 2008. p. 8. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
^ Tartter, Jean R. (1989). "National Security". In Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.). Libya: a country study. Area Handbook (4th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 270–271. LCCN 88600480. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
^ "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.
^ "2011 - Plaquette sur les insignes et blasons des Forces Armées du Mali" (in French). 23 April 2011. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
^ "رتب الضباط" [Officer ranks]. armee.mr/ (in Arabic). Armed Forces of Mauritania. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
^ Ehrenreich, Frederich (1985). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold D. (ed.). Morocco: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American University. pp. 350–351. LCCN 85600265. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
^ "Government Notice" (PDF). Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia. Vol. 4547. 20 August 2010. pp. 99–102. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
^ Smaldone, Joseph P. (1992). "National Security". In Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.). Nigeria: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 296–297. LCCN 92009026. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^ "RDF Insignia". mod.gov.rw. Government of the Republic of Rwanda. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
^ "Rank structure". spdf.sc. Seychelles People's Defence Forces. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
^ Ehrenreich, Frederick (1982). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold N. (ed.). Somalia: a country study (PDF). Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 257. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^ "Rank Insignia". af.mil.za. Department of Defence (South Africa). Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
^ "الرتب العسكرية" [Military ranks]. mod.gov.sd/ (in Arabic). Republic of Sudan Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 19 November 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
^ "Journal officiel de la république togolaise" (PDF) (in French). 12 February 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
^ "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.
^ "RANKS AND BADGES IN THE AFZ". afz.gov.zw. Air Force of Zimbabwe. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2021.

[Algeria-1] "Ranks". mdn.dz. Ministry of National Defence (Algeria). Retrieved 30 May 2021.

[Angola_AirForce-2] "Postos da Força Aérea Nacional". faa.ao (in Portuguese). Angolan Air Force. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

[Botswana-3] "Ranks". Government of Botswana. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.

[BurkinaFaso1-4] "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.

[RepublicoftheCongo-5] "Grades appellations distinctions". defense.gouv.cg (in French). Ministry of National Defense (Republic of the Congo). Retrieved 7 June 2021.

[Gabon-6] "Nos Galons". Ministère de la Défense nationale. 20 August 2021. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2024.

[Ghana_AirForce-7] "Rank Structure". gafonline.mil.gh. Ghana Air Force. 2018. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2024.

[IvoryCoast-8] "GRADES / APPELLATIONS / DISTINCTIONS". defense.gouv.ci (in French). Ministère de la Défense. Retrieved 23 September 2020.

[9] "Kenya Air Force commissioned officer's ranks". mod.go.ke. Ministry of Defence - Kenya. Retrieved 17 January 2022.

[Liberia-10] "Defense Act of 2008" (PDF). 3 September 2008. p. 8. Retrieved 20 November 2017.

[Libya-11] Tartter, Jean R. (1989). "National Security". In Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.). Libya: a country study. Area Handbook (4th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 270–271. LCCN 88600480. Retrieved 28 October 2021.

[Madagascar-12] "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.

[Mali-13] "2011 - Plaquette sur les insignes et blasons des Forces Armées du Mali" (in French). 23 April 2011. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2020.

[Mauritania_Officer-14] "رتب الضباط" [Officer ranks]. armee.mr/ (in Arabic). Armed Forces of Mauritania. Retrieved 10 June 2021.

[Morocco-15] Ehrenreich, Frederich (1985). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold D. (ed.). Morocco: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American University. pp. 350–351. LCCN 85600265. Retrieved 16 September 2023.

[Namibia-16] "Government Notice" (PDF). Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia. Vol. 4547. 20 August 2010. pp. 99–102. Retrieved 20 December 2021.

[Nigeria-17] Smaldone, Joseph P. (1992). "National Security". In Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.). Nigeria: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 296–297. LCCN 92009026. Retrieved 21 October 2021.

[Rwanda-18] "RDF Insignia". mod.gov.rw. Government of the Republic of Rwanda. Retrieved 12 June 2021.

[Seychelles-19] "Rank structure". spdf.sc. Seychelles People's Defence Forces. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

[Somalia-20] Ehrenreich, Frederick (1982). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold N. (ed.). Somalia: a country study (PDF). Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 257. Retrieved 21 October 2021.

[SouthAfrica_AirForce-21] "Rank Insignia". af.mil.za. Department of Defence (South Africa). Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.

[Sudan-22] "الرتب العسكرية" [Military ranks]. mod.gov.sd/ (in Arabic). Republic of Sudan Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 19 November 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2021.

[Togo-23] "Journal officiel de la république togolaise" (PDF) (in French). 12 February 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2021.

[Tunisia-24] "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.

[Zimbabwe_AirForce-25] "RANKS AND BADGES IN THE AFZ". afz.gov.zw. Air Force of Zimbabwe. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2021.

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Officers

See also

References