This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(October 2024) |
Anair officeris anair forceofficer of the rank ofair commodoreor higher.[1]Such officers may be termed "officers of air rank".[2]While the term originated in theRoyal Air Force,air officers are also to be found in manyCommonwealthnations who have a similar rank structure to the RAF.[citation needed]
Air officers holding command appointments receive the titleAir Officer Commanding(AOC), whereas air officers holdingcommander-in-chiefpositions are titled as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C).[citation needed]
British usage
editIn theBritish Armed Forces,where the term originated, an air officer is equivalent in concept toflag officerandgeneral officerin the Royal Navy and Army respectively. Specifically, while the Army uses General Officer Commanding (GOC), the Air Force uses Air Officer Commanding (AOC) to designate the senior officer in a formation.[3]
Note, however, that in theBritish Armed Forces,while an air commodore is an air officer,[4]theirRoyal Navyequivalent (commodore) is not considered a flag officer, nor is theBritish ArmyorRoyal Marinesequivalent (brigadier) considered a general officer. In 1919 when the RAF introduced its own air officer ranks, the preceding RAF and equivalent army rank wasbrigadier-general,which was a general officer rank until its abolition in 1922. In some other countries — most notably the armed forces of the United States — Army, Air Force and Marine Corpsone-star officersare considered to be general officers, andone-star officersof the Navy and Coast Guard are considered to be flag officers.[citation needed]
There are multiple air officer command appointments. Additionally the RAF maintains twohome countryair officer appointments. These areAir Officer Scotland[5]and the Air Officer for Wales.[6]
On ceremonial occasions, many RAF air officers are entitled to wear embellished shoulder boards and the gold and blue sash. This applies to all officers at or above the rank of air vice-marshal and holders of the following air commodore posts:
- Commandant of theRoyal Air Force College Cranwell
- Air Officer Scotland
- Air Officer Northern Ireland
- Air Officer Wales
With the exception of marshals of the RAF, the embellished shoulder boards feature the golden air officers' eagle and wreath device surmounted by alionstatant guardant.For marshals of the RAF, the embellished shoulder boards display the air officer's eagle and wreath, two crossedmarshal'sbatonsand, since the coronation ofQueen Elizabeth II,theSt Edward's Crownrepresenting royal authority.[7]Prior to 1953, theTudor Crown(sometimes called the King's Crown) was used.
Air officer ranks
editThe air officer ranks are as follows:
| Marshal of the Air Force |
| Air chief marshal |
| Air marshal |
| Air vice-marshal |
| Air commodore |
National usage
editThe air officer terminology is currently used by the following air forces:
References
edit- ^"Air officer".
- ^Great Britain. Air Ministry (1940),Dress regulations for officers of the Royal Air Force,Issue 1358, H.M.S.O., pp. 7, 12
- ^Hayman, Charles (10 February 2014).The Armed Forces of the United Kingdom 2014–2015.Pen and Sword. p. 17.ISBN9781783463510.
- ^The Chambers Dictionary.Allied Publishers. 2006. p. 32.ISBN9788186062258.
- ^Royal Air Force Air Rank Appointments List 09/08Archived18 April 2009 at theWayback Machineretrieved 14 July 2010
- ^"Air Officer for Wales".Archived fromthe originalon 9 December 2010.Retrieved14 July2010.
- ^Raf 1