Comparative air force enlisted ranks of Africa

Last updated May 26, 2024

Rank comparison of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel for air forces of African states.

Other ranks

Rank group	Senior NCOs									Junior NCOs		Enlisted
Algerian Air Force ^[1] v t e														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
National Air Force of Angola ^[2] v t e														No insignia
National Air Force of Angola ^[2] v t e	Sargento-mor		Sargento-chefe		Sargento-ajudante		Primeiro-sargento	Segundo-sargento		Sub-sargento		Primeiro-cabo	Segundo-cabo	Soldado
Benin	No air force
Botswana Defence Force Air Wing ^[3] v t e														No insignia
Botswana Defence Force Air Wing ^[3] v t e	Warrant officer class 1		Warrant officer class 2		Staff sergeant		Sergeant			Corporal	Lance corporal			Private (or equivalent)
Burkina Faso Air Force ^[4]^[5] v t e														No insignia
Burkina Faso Air Force ^[4]^[5] v t e	Adjudant-chef major	Adjudant-chef	Adjudant				Sergent-chef	Sergent		Caporal-chef	Caporal	Soldat de première classe		Soldat de deuxeme classe
Burundi	No air force
Cameroon Air Force v t e														No insignia
Cameroon Air Force v t e	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
Cape Verde	No air force
Central African Air Force v t e														No insignia
Central African Air Force v t e	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 v t e														No insignia
Chadian Air Force v t e					Sergent-major		Sergent-chef	Sergent			Caporal	Soldat Première		Soldat
Comoros	No air force
Air Force of the DR Congo v t e														No insignia
Air Force of the DR Congo v t e	Adjudant-chef	Adjudant de première classe	Adjudant		Premier sergent major	Sergent major	Premier sergent	Sergent			Caporal	Soldat de première classe		Soldat de seconde classe	Recrue
Rank group	Senior NCOs									Junior NCOs		Enlisted
Congolese Air Force ^[6] v t e														No insignia
Congolese Air Force ^[6] v t e	Adjudant-chef		Adjudant				Sergent-chef	Sergent		Caporal-chef	Caporal	Soldat 1ère classe		Soldat 2e classe
Djibouti Air Force v t e
Djibouti Air Force v t e	Adjudant-chef		Adjudant				Sergent-chef	Sergent		Caporal-chef	Caporal	Soldat Première		Soldat
Egyptian Air Force v t e
Egyptian Air Force v t e	مساعد أول Mosa'id awwal		مساعد Mosa'id		رقيب أول Raqib awwal		رقيب Raqib			عريف 'arif		جندي Jundi
Equatorial Guinea Air Force v t e
Equatorial Guinea Air Force v t e			Sergeant Major Brigada		Master Sergeant Sargento primero		Sergeant Sarjento			Senior Corporal Cabo primero	Corporal Cabo			Private Soldado de primera
Eritrean Air Force v t e														No insignia
Eritrean Air Force v t e			Master Sergeant				Staff Sergeant	Sergeant		Corporal		Private 1st Class		Private
Ethiopian Air Force v t e														No insignia
	ሲ ዋራንት ኦፊሰር Sī waraniti ofīseri	ጁኝር ዋራንት ኦፊሰር Junyiri waraniti ofīseri	ሻለቃ ባሻ Shalek’a basha		ሻለቃ መጋቢ ባሻ Shalek’a megabī basha		ሻምበል ባሻ Shamibeli basha	መጋቢ ሃምሳ አለቃ Megabī hamisa ālek’a		ሃምሳ አለቃ Hamisa ālek’a	አስር አለቃ Āsiri ālek’a	ምክትል አስር አለቃ Mikitili āsiri ālek’a
	Senior warrant officer	Junior warrant officer	Command sergeant major		Staff sergeant major		First sergeant	Master sergeant		Sergeant	Corporal	Lance corporal		Private
Gabonese Air Force v t e
Gabonese Air Force v t e	Adjudant-chef major	Adjudant-chef	Adjudant				Sergent-chef	Sergent		Caporal-chef	Caporal	Soldat première		Soldat
Gambia	No air force
Ghana Air Force ^[7] v t e														No insignia
Ghana Air Force ^[7] v t e	Warrant officer class I		Warrant officer class II		Flight sergeant		Sergeant			Corporal		Leading aircraftsman		Aircraftsman
Guinea Air Force v t e
Guinea Air Force v t e	Major	Adjudant-chef	Adjudant				Sergent-chef	Sergent		Caporal-chef	Caporal	Soldat de 1^ère classe		Soldat de 2^ème classe
Guinea-Bissau	No air force
Ivory Coast Air Force ^[8] v t e
Ivory Coast Air Force ^[8] v t e	Adjudant-chef major	Adjudant-chef	Adjudant				Sergent-chef	Sergent		Caporal-chef	Caporal	Soldat de première classe		Soldat de seconde classe
Kenya Air Force ^[9] v t e												No insignia
Kenya Air Force ^[9] v t e	Warrant Officer Class 1		Warrant Officer Class 2		Senior Sergeant		Sergeant			Corporal	Lance Corporal	Aircraftman
Lesotho Air Squadron v t e												No insignia
Lesotho Air Squadron v t e	Warrant officer class 1		Warrant officer class 2		Staff sergeant		Sergeant			Corporal	Lance corporal	Private (or equivalent)
Liberian Air Wing ^[10] v t e
Liberian Air Wing ^[10] v t e	Chief master sergeant		Master sergeant		Technical sergeant		Staff sergeant	Senior airman/woman		Airman/woman first class	Airman/woman	Airman/woman basic
Rank group	Senior NCOs									Junior NCOs		Enlisted
Libyan Air Force ^[11] v t e														No insignia
Libyan Air Force ^[11] v t e			Master sergeant				Staff Sergeant	Sergeant		Corporal		Airman		Airman basic
Madagascar Air Force ^[12] v t e														No insignia
Madagascar Air Force ^[12] v t e	Adjudant-major	Adjudant-chef	Adjudant		Sergent-major		Sergent-chef	Sergent		Caporal-chef	Caporal			Soldat
Malawi Air Force v t e												No insignia
Malawi Air Force v t e	Warrant Officer Class 1		Warrant Officer Class 2		Staff Sergeant		Sergeant			Corporal	Lance Corporal	Private (or equivalent)
Malian Air Force ^[13] v t e
Malian Air Force ^[13] v t e	Major	Adjudant-chef	Adjudant				Sergent-chef	Sergent		Caporal-chef	Caporal	Soldat de première classe		Soldat
Mauritania Islamic Air Force ^[14] v t e
Mauritania Islamic Air Force ^[14] v t e	مساعد أول Mosa'id awwal		مساعد Mosa'id				رقيب أول Raqib awwal	رقيب Raqib			عريف 'arif			جندي Jundiun
Mauritius	No air force
Royal Moroccan Air Force ^[15] v t e														No insignia
Royal Moroccan Air Force ^[15] v t e	Adjudant-chef		Adjudant		Sergent-major		Sergent-chef	Sergent		Caporal-chef	Caporal	Soldat de première classe		Soldat de deuxième classe
Mozambique Air Force v t e
Mozambique Air Force v t e					Intendente		Primeiro-sargento	Segundo-sargento		Terceiro-sargento	Cabo	Primeiro soldado
Namibian Air Force ^[16] v t e												No insignia
Namibian Air Force ^[16] v t e	Warrant officer class 1		Warrant officer class 2		Flight sergeant		Sergeant			Aircraftman	Leading aircraftman	Private (or equivalent)
Niger Air Force v t e
Niger Air Force v t e	Adjudant-chef		Adjudant				Sergent-chef	Sergent		Caporal-chef	Caporal	Soldat de première classe		Soldat
Nigerian Air Force ^[17] v t e												No insignia
Nigerian Air Force ^[17] v t e	Air warrant officer	Master warrant officer	Warrant officer		Flight sergeant		Sergeant			Corporal	Lance corporal	Aircraftman
Rwandan Air Force ^[18] v t e														No insignia
Rwandan Air Force ^[18] v t e	Warrant officer I		Warrant officer II		Sergeant major		Staff sergeant	Sergeant			Corporal			Private
Rank group	Senior NCOs									Junior NCOs		Enlisted
São Tomé and Príncipe	No air force
Senegalese Air Force v t e														No insignia
Senegalese Air Force v t e	Adjudant-chef		Adjudant				Sergent-chef	Sergent		Caporal-chef	Caporal	Soldat de première classe		Soldat
Seychelles Air Force ^[19] v t e
Seychelles Air Force ^[19] v t e	Warrant officer class 1		Warrant officer class 2		Staff sergeant		Sergeant			Corporal	Lance corporal	Private (or equivalent)
Sierra Leone	No air force
Somali Air Force ^[20] v t e												No insignia
Somali Air Force ^[20] v t e	Chief Warrant Officer Musharax Sarkaal	Warrant Officer Class 1 Sadex Xarígle	Warrant Officer Class 2 Laba Xarígle		Warrant Officer Class 3 Xarígle		Sergeant Sadex Alífle			Corporal Laba Alífle	Lance Corporal Alífle	Aircraftman Dable
South African Air Force ^[21] v t e														No insignia
South African Air Force ^[21] v t e	Warrant officer class 1		Warrant officer class 2		Flight sergeant		Sergeant			Corporal	Lance corporal			Aircraftman
South Sudan Air Force v t e
South Sudan Air Force v t e	Regimental Sergeant Major		Sergeant Major				Sergeant			Corporal	Lance Corporal	Private
Sudanese Air Force ^[22] v t e												No insignia
Sudanese Air Force ^[22] v t e			مساعد Mosa'id		رقيب أول Raqib awwal		رقيب Raqib			عريف 'arif	وكيل عريف Wakil 'arif	جندي Jundiun
Swaziland	No air force
Tanzania Air Force v t e												No insignia
Tanzania Air Force v t e	Warrant officer class 1 Maafisa Wateule 1		Warrant officer class 2 Maafisa Wateule 2		Flight sergeant Sajenti Kuruka		Sergeant Sajenti			Corporal Koplo	Lance corporal Koplo Mdogo	Aircraftman Mtu Ndege
Togolese Air Force ^[23] v t e														No insignia
Togolese Air Force ^[23] v t e	Major	Adjudant-chef	Adjudant				Sergent-chef	Sergent		Caporal-chef	Caporal	Soldat de 1^ère classe		Soldat de 2^e classe
Tunisian Air Force ^[24]^[25] v t e
	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 1^re classe		Soldat
Ugandan Air Force v t e												No insignia
Ugandan Air Force v t e	Warrant officer class 1		Warrant officer class 2		Staff sergeant		Sergeant			Corporal	Lance corporal	Private (or equivalent)
Zambian Air Force v t e												No insignia
Zambian Air Force v t e	Warrant Officer Class 1		Warrant Officer Class 2		Staff sergeant		Sergeant			Corporal	Lance Corporal	Private (or equivalent)
Air Force of Zimbabwe ^[26] v t e														No insignia
Air Force of Zimbabwe ^[26] v t e	Warrant officer class 1		Master technician	Warrant officer class 2	Master sergeant	Flight sergeant	Sergeant			Corporal	Senior aircraftman	Leading aircraftman		Aircraftman
Rank group	Senior NCOs									Junior NCOs		Enlisted

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.
↑ "LOI N° 019-2015/CNT PORTANT STATUT GENERAL DES PERSONNELS DES FORCES ARMEES NATIONALES" (PDF) (in French). 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
↑ "Grades appellations distinctions". defense.gouv.cg (in French). Ministry of National Defense (Republic of the Congo). Retrieved 7 June 2021.
↑ "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.
↑ "KDF Ranks". mod.go.ke. Ministry of Defence - Kenya. Retrieved 9 December 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 الأفراد غير الضباط" [Ranks of Non-officers]. 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.
↑ "أمر عدد 380 لسنة 1972 مؤرخ في 6 ديسمبر 1972 يتعلق بضبط النظام الأساسي الخاص بالعسكريين". legislation-securite.tn (in Arabic). Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance. 6 December 1972. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
↑ "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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[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.

[BurkinaFaso2-5] "LOI N° 019-2015/CNT PORTANT STATUT GENERAL DES PERSONNELS DES FORCES ARMEES NATIONALES" (PDF) (in French). 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2021.

[RepublicoftheCongo-6] "Grades appellations distinctions". defense.gouv.cg (in French). Ministry of National Defense (Republic of the Congo). Retrieved 7 June 2021.

[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.

[Kenya-9] "KDF Ranks". mod.go.ke. Ministry of Defence - Kenya. Retrieved 9 December 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_Other-14] "رتب الأفراد غير الضباط" [Ranks of Non-officers]. 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.

[Tunisia_AR-25] "أمر عدد 380 لسنة 1972 مؤرخ في 6 ديسمبر 1972 يتعلق بضبط النظام الأساسي الخاص بالعسكريين". legislation-securite.tn (in Arabic). Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance. 6 December 1972. Retrieved 6 April 2023.

[Zimbabwe_AirForce-26] "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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Comparative air force enlisted ranks of Africa

Contents

Other ranks

See also

Related Research Articles

References