RAF enlisted ranks

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NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4		OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
United Kingdom (Edit)							No Equivalent																		No Equivalent								No Insignia
	Warrant Officer			Master Aircrew					Flight Sergeant	Chief Technician	Sergeant												Corporal				Junior Technician		Senior Aircraftman (or Aircraftwoman)		Leading Aircraftman (or Aircraftwoman)		Aircraftman (or Aircraftwoman)
Abbreviation	WO			MAcr					FS or Flt Sgt	CT or Chf Tech	Sgt												Cpl				Jnr Tech or JT		SAC(W)		LAC(W)		AC(W)

The term used in the Royal Air Force to refer to all ranks below commissioned officer level is Other Ranks (ORs). It includes Warrant Officers, non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and airmen.

Royal Air Force

Components Royal Air Force Royal Auxiliary Air Force RAF Regiment RAF Police History History of the Royal Air Force Timeline of the Royal Air Force Aircraft List of RAF aircraft Structure Strike Command No. 1 Group No. 2 Group JFACHQ Personnel and Training Command No. 22 Group List of stations Personnel Officer ranks Other ranks

Contents 1 Origins 2 Changes in 1939 - Warrant Officers 3 Changes in 1946 - Aircrew 4 Changes in 1950 - Technicians and Aircrew 5 Changes in 1951 - Junior Ranks 6 Changes in 1964 - Technicians 7 See also 8 External links

[edit] Origins

Upon the formation of the Royal Air Force in 1918, rank titles and badges for ORs were adopted from the British Army, specifically the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). The RFC ranks of Warrant Officer Class I, Warrant Officer Class II, Flight Sergeant, Sergeant and Corporal were directly adopted, although the four-bladed propeller above the Sergeants' and Flight Sergeants' chevrons was dropped. The double-bladed propeller used as the badge of rank for an RFC Air Mechanic 1st Class was introduced as the trade classification badge for Leading Aircraftman. The rank of Aircraftman replaced the RFC rank of Air Mechanic 2nd Class.

[edit] Changes in 1939 - Warrant Officers

In 1939, the ranks of Warrant Officer Class I and Warrant Officer Class II were combined as a single rank, Warrant Officer. RAF warrant officers were given equivalent status to the continuing Army rank of Warrant Officer Class I.

[edit] Changes in 1946 - Aircrew

On 1 July 1946, NCOs serving as aircrew were assigned different rank badges which distinguished them from ORs in ground trades. The new ranks were:

• Master Aircrew (equivalent to Warrant Officer)
• Aircrew I (equivalent to Flight Sergeant)
• Aircrew II (equivalent to Sergeant)
• Aircrew III (equivalent to Corporal)
• Aircrew IV (also equivalent to Corporal)
• Aircrew Cadet (for trainee aircrew)

[edit] Changes in 1950 - Technicians and Aircrew

In 1950, a new grading system for technicians was introduced. This involved the creation of the following ranks:

• Master Technician (for Warrant Officers in technical trades)
• Chief Technician (for Flight Sergeants in technical trades) with three inverted chevrons surmounted by a crown
• Senior Technician (for Sergeants in technical trades) with three inverted chevrons
• Corporal Technician (for Corporals in technical trades) with two inverted chevrons
• Junior Technician with one inverted chevron

Also in 1950, the unpopular NCO aircrew ranks were abolished, although Master Aircrew was retained as a rank. Aircrew I became Flight Sergeant Aircrew and Aircrew II, III and IV became Sergeant Aircrew. Both new ranks adopted a gold eagle above the cheverons to permit continuing distinction from ground trades. Aircrew Cadets wore the eagle on its own.

[edit] Changes in 1951 - Junior Ranks

On 1 January 1951, two junior ranks were introduced:

• Senior Aircraftman (or Senior Aircraftwoman) with a triple-bladed propeller.
• Leading Aircraftman (or Leading Aircraftwoman) with a double-bladed propeller (this had previously been only a trade classification and not a rank)

[edit] Changes in 1964 - Technicians

In 1964, the technician ranks were abolished, with the exception of Junior Technicians and Chief Technicians, the latter becoming an intermediate rank between Sergeant and Flight Sergeant for Technical Trades. Junior Technicians adopted the four-bladed propeller as their badge of rank and Chief Technicians adopted a treble cheveron surmounted by a four-bladed propeller as their rank insignia. Master Technicians, Senior Technicians and Corporal Technicians all reverted to their former ranks of Warrant Officer, Sergeant and Corporal respectively. The ORs structure became:

• Warrant Officer / Master Aircrew
• Flight Sergeant / Flight Sergeant Aircrew
• Chief Technician
• Sergeant / Sergeant Aircrew
• Corporal
• Junior Technician
• Senior Aircraftman (or Senior Aircraftwoman)
• Leading Aircraftman (or Leading Aircraftwoman)
• Aircraftman (or Aircraftwoman)

[edit] See also

• RAF officer ranks
• Ranks and insignia of NATO Air Forces Enlisted
• Comparative military ranks of World War I
• Comparative military ranks of World War II
• Comparative military ranks
• Military rank
• Royal Air Force

[edit] External links

• Enlisted Ranks and Badges of the RAF

British Ratings and Other Ranks
	OR-1	OR-2	OR-3	OR-4	OR-5/OR-6	OR-7	OR-8	OR-9
Royal Navy:		ORD - AB		LH	PO	CPO	WO2	WO1
Royal Marines:		MNE	LCpl	Cpl	Sgt	CSgt	WO2	WO1
Army:	Pte	Pte	LCpl	Cpl	Sgt	SSgt / CSgt	WO2	WO1
Royal Air Force:	AC	LAC - SAC - Jnr Tech		Cpl	Sgt	Chf Tech - FS		WO / MAcr