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{{Military ranks}}
{{Military ranks}}
'''Air Marshal''' ('''Air Mshl''' or '''AM''') is a [[three-star rank|three-star]]<ref>http://www.rafweb.org/Glossary.htm</ref> [[air officer|air-officer]] rank which originated in and continues to be used by the [[Royal Air Force]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/structure/commissionedranks.cfm |title=Ranks and Badges of the Royal Air Force |accessdate= 2007-11-26 |year=2007 |publisher=[[Royal Air Force]]| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20071113155837/http://www.raf.mod.uk/structure/commissionedranks.cfm| archivedate= 13 November 2007 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> The rank is also used by the air forces of many [[Commonwealth of Nations|countries which have historical British influence]] and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure.
'''Air Marshal''' ('''Air Mshl''' or '''AM''') is a [[three-star rank|three-star]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rafweb.org/Glossary.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2008-03-21 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413024542/http://www.rafweb.org/Glossary.htm |archivedate=13 April 2008 }}</ref> [[air officer|air-officer]] rank which originated in and continues to be used by the [[Royal Air Force]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/structure/commissionedranks.cfm |title=Ranks and Badges of the Royal Air Force |accessdate= 2007-11-26 |year=2007 |publisher=[[Royal Air Force]]| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20071113155837/http://www.raf.mod.uk/structure/commissionedranks.cfm| archivedate= 13 November 2007 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> The rank is also used by the air forces of many [[Commonwealth of Nations|countries which have historical British influence]] and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure.


<!--PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE NATO OF CODES. THEY GO FROM 1 TO 10 AND ARE NOT THE SAME AS UNITED STATES O CODES WHICH RANK FROM 1 TO 11. OF-1 COVERS BOTH O-1 AND O-2-->
<!--PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE NATO OF CODES. THEY GO FROM 1 TO 10 AND ARE NOT THE SAME AS UNITED STATES O CODES WHICH RANK FROM 1 TO 11. OF-1 COVERS BOTH O-1 AND O-2-->
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The rank of air marshal is immediately senior to the rank of [[air vice-marshal]] and immediately subordinate to the rank of [[air chief marshal]].
The rank of air marshal is immediately senior to the rank of [[air vice-marshal]] and immediately subordinate to the rank of [[air chief marshal]].


Officers in the rank of air marshal typically hold very senior appointments such as [[commander-in-chief]] of an air force or a large air force formation. Officers in the ranks of air chief marshal and air vice-marshal are also referred to generically as air marshals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.debretts.com/forms-address/professions/armed-forces/royal-air-force/air-chief-marshal-air-marshal-and-air-vice |title=Forms Of Address: Air Chief Marshal, Air Marshal and Air Vice-Marshal |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Debrett's |access-date=4 December 2015 }}</ref> Occasionally, air force officers of [[Marshal of the air force|marshal rank]] are considered to be air marshals.
Officers in the rank of air marshal typically hold very senior appointments such as [[commander-in-chief]] of an air force or a large air force formation. Officers in the ranks of air chief marshal and air vice-marshal are also referred to generically as air marshals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.debretts.com/forms-address/professions/armed-forces/royal-air-force/air-chief-marshal-air-marshal-and-air-vice |title=Forms Of Address: Air Chief Marshal, Air Marshal and Air Vice-Marshal |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Debrett's |access-date=4 December 2015 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119043809/http://www.debretts.com/forms-address/professions/armed-forces/royal-air-force/air-chief-marshal-air-marshal-and-air-vice |archivedate=19 November 2015 }}</ref> Occasionally, air force officers of [[Marshal of the air force|marshal rank]] are considered to be air marshals.


==Royal Air Force use and history==
==Royal Air Force use and history==

Revision as of 18:51, 28 June 2017

This article is about the air force rank. For the United States federal law-enforcement agents who travel undercover aboard commercial airliners as sky marshals, see Federal Air Marshal Service. For information on air-force officers at the rank of marshal, see Marshal of the Air Force.

Air marshal
The AM insignia from the Royal Air Force.
An RAF air marshal's star plate.
Service branchAir forces
AbbreviationAir Mshl / AM
RankThree-star
NATO rank codeOF-8
Non-NATO rankO-9
Formation1 August 1919 (1919-08-01) (RAF)
Next higher rankAir chief marshal
Next lower rankAir vice-marshal
Equivalent ranks
Comparative military ranks
Armies,
air forces
(non-Commonwealth)		 Navies,
coast guards		 Air forces
(Commonwealth system)
Flag commissioned officers
Field marshal or Marshal Admiral of the fleet Marshal of the air force
General or
colonel general or
army general		 Admiral Air chief marshal
Lieutenant general or
army corps general		 Vice admiral Air marshal
Major general or
divisional general		 Rear admiral or
Counter admiral		 Air vice-marshal
Brigadier or
brigadier general		 Commodore or
flotilla admiral		 Air commodore
Senior commissioned officers
Colonel (Ship-of-the-line)
Captain		 Group captain
Lieutenant colonel Frigate captain or
Commander		 Wing commander
Major or
commandant		 Corvette captain or Lieutenant
commander		 Squadron leader
Junior commissioned officers
Captain Lieutenant Flight lieutenant
First lieutenant or
lieutenant		 Lieutenant
junior grade or
sub-lieutenant		 Flying officer
Second lieutenant or
junior lieutenant		 Ensign or
midshipman		 Pilot officer
Officer cadet Officer cadet Flight cadet
Non-commissioned officers
Warrant officer or
sergeant major		 Warrant officer or
chief petty officer		 Warrant officer
Sergeant Petty officer Sergeant
Enlisted ranks
Corporal or
bombardier		 Leading seaman Corporal
Lance corporal or
Lance bombardier or
Specialist		 Able seaman Leading aircraftman or
Air specialist
Private or
gunner or
trooper or
sapper		 Seaman Aircraftman or
airman or
aviator

Air Marshal (Air Mshl or AM) is a three-star[1] air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force.[2] The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure.

Air marshal is a three-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-8, equivalent to a vice-admiral in the Royal Navy or a lieutenant-general in the British Army or the Royal Marines. In other NATO forces, such as the United States Armed Forces and the Canadian Armed Forces, the equivalent three-star rank is lieutenant general.

The rank of air marshal is immediately senior to the rank of air vice-marshal and immediately subordinate to the rank of air chief marshal.

Officers in the rank of air marshal typically hold very senior appointments such as commander-in-chief of an air force or a large air force formation. Officers in the ranks of air chief marshal and air vice-marshal are also referred to generically as air marshals.[3] Occasionally, air force officers of marshal rank are considered to be air marshals.

Royal Air Force use and history

Origins

Prior to the adoption of RAF-specific rank titles in 1919, it was suggested that the RAF might use the Royal Navy's officer ranks, with the word "air" inserted before the naval rank title. For example, the rank that later became air marshal would have been air vice-admiral. The Admiralty objected to any use of their rank titles, including this modified form, and so an alternative proposal was put forward: air-officer ranks would be based on the term "ardian", which was derived from a combination of the Gaelic words for "chief" (ard) and "bird" (eun), with the term "second ardian" or "wing ardian" being used specifically for the rank equivalent to a vice-admiral and lieutenant-general. However, air marshal was preferred and was adopted on 1 August 1919. The rank of air marshal was first used on 11 August 1919 when Sir Hugh Trenchard was promoted to the rank[4] and it has been used ever since.

RAF insignia, command flag and star plate

The rank insignia consists of two narrow light blue bands (each on a slightly wider black band) over a light blue band on a broad black band. This is worn on the lower sleeves of the dress uniform or on shoulders of the flying suit or working uniform.

The command flag for an air marshal is defined by the single broad red band running in the centre of the flag.

The vehicle star plate for an air marshal depicts three white stars (air marshal is equivalent to a three-star rank) on an air force blue background.

  • An RAF air marshal's mess sleeve insignia
    An RAF air marshal's mess sleeve insignia
  • An RAF air marshal's shoulder board
    An RAF air marshal's shoulder board
  • An RAF air marshal's sleeve on No. 1 Service Dress Uniform
    An RAF air marshal's sleeve on No. 1 Service Dress Uniform
  • An RAF air marshal's command flag
    An RAF air marshal's command flag

Other air forces

The rank of air marshal is also used in a number of the air forces in the Commonwealth, including the Bangladesh Air Force, Indian Air Force, Pakistan Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force. It is also used in the Nigerian Air Force, Ghana Air Force, Hellenic Air Force (antipterarchos), Air Force of Zimbabwe (including its predecessor, the Rhodesian Air Force) and the Royal Thai Air Force. In the Indonesian Air Force, the equivalent rank is marsekal madya (literally "vice marshal") which is often translated as air marshal in English; similarly, the rank of فريق (fariq) in the Egyptian Air Force is commonly translated as "air marshal", although the Arabic-language names of officer ranks are the same across all of Egypt's military and paramilitary forces.

The Brazilian Air Force does not use air marshal ranks as an equivalent to general ranks, rather it uses a number of ranks based on the word brigadier. However, its highest rank is marechal-do-ar, the equivalent to a Brazilian Army marshal. Marechal-do-ar can be translated as air marshal or marshal of the air. Similarly, the Royal Malaysian Air Force's five-star rank of marshal udara translates as air marshal.

Royal Australian Air Force

Main article: Air marshal (Australia)
An RAAF air marshal's rank insignia.

The Australian Air Corps adopted the RAF rank system on 9 November 1920[5] and this usage was continued by its successor, the Royal Australian Air Force. However, the rank of air marshal was not used by the Australian Armed Forces until 1940 when Richard Williams, an RAAF officer, was promoted.[6]

In Australia, there are four appointments available for air marshals: the Chief of Air Force and, at times when they are occupied by an air force officer, the Vice Chief of Defence Force, the Chief of Joint Operations, and the Chief of Capability Development Group.

See also: List of Royal Australian Air Force air marshals

Royal New Zealand Air Force

An RNZAF air marshal's rank insignia,

In New Zealand, the head of the air force holds the lower rank of air vice-marshal. However, when an air force officer holds the country's senior military appointment, Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force, he is granted the rank of air marshal. The last air force Chief of the Defence Force was Air Marshal Sir Bruce Ferguson who served in that appointment from 2001 to 2006. The full list of New Zealand air marshals is as follows:

Royal Canadian Air Force

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) used the rank until the 1968 unification of the Canadian Forces, when army-type rank titles were adopted and an air marshal became a lieutenant-general. In official French Canadian usage, the rank title was maréchal de l'air. The Canadian Chief of the Air Staff ordinarily held the rank of air marshal. The following RCAF officers held the rank (dates in rank in parentheses):

See also

References

  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 13 April 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "Ranks and Badges of the Royal Air Force". Royal Air Force. 2007. Archived from the original on 13 November 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Forms Of Address: Air Chief Marshal, Air Marshal and Air Vice-Marshal". Debrett's. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Trenchard.htm
  5. ^ Gillison, Douglas Napier (1962). "Chapter 1: Formation of the Royal Australian Air Force" (digitised book). Royal Australian Air Force, 1939–1942 (1st ed.). Australian War Memorial. pp. 5–6.
  6. ^ Gillison, Douglas Napier (1962). "Chapter 5: The New Command" (digitised book). Royal Australian Air Force, 1939–1942 (1st ed.). Australian War Memorial. pp. 92–93.
  7. ^ http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/CFAWC/Dedication_Ceremony_e.asp
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