Ranks in the French Air and Space Force explained

Rank insignia in the French Air and Space Force are worn on the sleeve or on shoulder marks of uniforms

Officers

Although they all wear the same insignia and titles, officers are divided into:

French: Généraux - general officers

NATO
rank
Rank insigniaNameDescription
ShoulderSleeveFrenchEnglish translation
OF-9French: Général d'armée aérienneArmy air generalIn command of an air force.
OF-8French: Général de corps aérienAir corps generalIn command of an air force corps.
OF-7French: Général de division aérienneDivisional air generalIn command of a division.
OF-6French: Général de brigade aérienneAir brigade generalIn command of a brigade, or of a French: région in the Gendarmerie.

French: Officiers supérieurs - senior officers

NATO
rank
Rank insigniaNameNotes
ShoulderSleeveFrenchEnglish translation
OF-5French: ColonelColonel
OF-4French: Lieutenant-colonelLieutenant colonel
OF-3French: CommandantCommandantIs equivalent to a major in most English-speaking countries.

French: Officiers subalternes - junior officers

NATO
rank
Rank insigniaNameNotes
ShoulderCamouflageFrenchEnglish translation
OF-2French: CapitaineCaptain
OF-1French: LieutenantLieutenant
French: Sous-lieutenantSub-lieutenant
French: AspirantAspirantAn Officer Designate rank. Technically it is not a commissioned rank but it is still treated in all respects as one. Aspirants are either officers in training in military academies or voluntaries, serving as temporary officers. The aspirant must have been previously French: élève officier (Officer Cadet). They can afterwards be commissioned as a French: sous-lieutenant.
French: Élève officierOfficer cadetA rank held during the first years at the officer academies.

French: Sous-officiers - sub-officers, i.e. non-commissioned officers

NATO
rank
Rank insigniaNameNotes
ShoulderFrenchEnglish translation
OR-9French: MajorMajorThe senior sub-officer rank, since 1 January 2009 this grade is attached to the French: sous-officiers. Prior to this date it was an independent French: corps between the French: sous-officiers and the French: officiers. There are relatively few French: majors in the army, about one per regiment or brigade. As they could hold equivalent administrative tasks as French: officiers they are more common in the French: [[Armée de l'Air]].
Note the difference with many army rank systems of other countries where the term major is used for a rank above that of captain. For example, the rank of "major" in the US Army or British army is equivalent to the rank of "commandant" in the French army.
French: Adjudant-chefChief AdjutantChief Warrant Officer
often same responsibilities as the lieutenant.
OR-8French: AdjudantAdjutantWarrant Officer
often same responsibilities as an adjudant-chef.
OR-6French: Sergent-ChefChief sergeantAddressed as "chef". Typically a platoon second-in-command (equivalent to a Commonwealth sergeant or a US sergeant first class).
OR-5French: SergentSergeantTypically in command of a "group" (i.e. squad; equivalent to a commonwealth corporal or US staff sergeant)
French: Élève sous-officierNCO studentNCO candidates at the EOPN.

Etymologically the French: adjudant is the adjoint ("joint (assistant)") of an officer, and the sergeant "serves" (Latin: serviens = English: servant).

French: Aspirants are cadet officers still in training. French: Sous-lieutenants are junior officers and are often aided by French: adjudants or French: adjudants-chefs, who are experienced NCOs/warrant officers.

Full French: lieutenants are experienced junior officers, served by sergeants when commanding their unit.

A four chevron French: sergent-chef-major rank existed until 1947. It was a ceremonial rank usually given to the most senior or experienced NCO in a unit, similar to a colour sergeant in the British Army. It was discontinued in the post-war army due to its redundancy.

French: Militaires du rang - Troop ranks

NATO
rank
Rank insigniaNameNotes
ShoulderFrenchEnglish translation
OR-4French: Caporal-chefChief corporalOften same responsibilities as a sergent.
OR-3French: Caporal CorporalIn command of an French: équipe - literally a team (fireteam). Presently this size unit is a French: trinôme in the army.
OR-2French: Aviateur de première classe Aviator first class
OR-1French: Aviateur de deuxième classeAviator second class

There are also distinctions to distinguish volunteers and conscripts, and bars for experience (one for five years, up to four can be obtained).

See also

References