 | The examples and perspective in thisdeal primarily with the United Kingdom and do not represent aworldwide view of the subject. You mayimprove this, discuss the issue on thetalk page, or create a new, as appropriate.(October 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Air commodore (Air Cdre orAir Cmde) is anair officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from theRoyal Air Force.[1] The rank is also used by the air forces of manycountries 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 commodore is immediately senior togroup captain and immediately subordinate toair vice-marshal. It is usually equivalent to acommodore or abrigadier/brigadier general.
The equivalent rank in theWomen's Auxiliary Air Force,Women's Royal Air Force (until 1968) andPrincess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (until 1980) was "air commandant".
The rank was used in theRoyal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) until the 1968unification of the Canadian Forces, when army-type rank titles were adopted. Canadian air commodores then becamebrigadier-generals. In officialCanadian French usage, the rank title wascommodore de l'air.[2] The position of honorary air commodore still exists in theRoyal Canadian Air Cadets.[citation needed]
| Air Commodore | |
|---|---|
 Command Flag | |
 Shoulder and sleeve insignia | |
 A RAF Air Commodore star plate | |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Service branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Abbreviation | Air Cdre / AIRCDRE |
| Rank | One-star |
| NATOrank code | OF-6 |
| Formation | 1 August 1919 (1919-08-01) |
| Next higher rank | Air vice-marshal |
| Next lower rank | Group captain |
| Equivalent ranks | |
In the present-day RAF, air commodores typically hold senior appointments withingroups, acting directly in support of theair officer commanding. However, during the inter-war period, and in the case of the contemporaryNo. 83 Expeditionary Air Group, the air officer commanding held or holds air commodore rank. In theAir Training Corps, an appointed air commodore holds ultimate authority over the cadet organisation as theCommandant Air Cadets.
On 1 April 1918, the newly created RAF adopted its officer rank titles from theBritish Army, with officers at what is now air commodore holding the rank ofbrigadier-general. In response to the proposal that the RAF should use its own rank titles, it was suggested that the RAF might use theRoyal Navy's officer ranks, with the word "air" inserted before the naval rank title. Although theAdmiralty objected to this simple modification of their rank titles, it was agreed that the RAF might base many of its officer rank titles on Navy officer ranks with differing pre-modifying terms. It was also suggested thatair-officer ranks could be based on the term "ardian", which was derived from a combination of theGaelic words for "chief" (ard) and "bird" (eun), with the term "fourth ardian" or "flight ardian" being used for the equivalent to brigadier-general and commodore. However, the rank title based on the Navy rank was preferred and air commodore was adopted in August 1919.[3]
The rank insignia is a light-blue band on a broad black band worn on both the lower sleeves of the tunic or on the shoulders of the flying suit or the casual uniform. On themess uniform, air commodores wear a broad gold ring on both lower sleeves.
The command flag of an air commodore has one narrow red band running through the centre and is rectangular with a cut-away section giving it two tails. It is the only RAF command flag of this shape and it is similar in shape to that of a Royal Navy commodore'sbroad pennant. The vehicle star plate for an air commodore depicts a single white star (air commodore is equivalent to a one-star rank) on an air force blue background. RAF air commodores are classed asair officers and as such have two rows ofgold oak leaves on the peak of their service dress hats.
Thereigning monarch may appoint honorary air commodores for RAF flying squadrons and stations. For example,King Charles III isRAF Valley's honorary air commodore andWinston Churchill was615 Squadron's honorary air commodore.[4] As the title suggests, this is an honorary position bestowed by the reigning monarch and it does not grant the recipient command of a unit or formation. It is designed to strengthen the bond between the military unit and the individual and promote the role of the air force amongst the public.
Serving officers may be granted an equivalent appointment to the honorary rank. In such cases the individual is made an honorary air commandant and they retain their regular rank.[5]
Larger air force organisations or formations may be honoured by having anair commodore-in-chief appointed in their name. These RAF appointments are rare and to date (2020) have been given to just five senior members of the royal family, of whom three were reigning orfuture monarchs of the United Kingdom. Air commodore-in-chief is not a rank and such an appointment does not convey the rank of air commodore upon the recipient.
![(Royal Australian Air Force)[6]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBritish_RAF_OF-6.svg)
![(Ghana Air Force)[8]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a13.Ghana_Air_Force-BG.svg)
![(Namibian Air Force)[10]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a13-Namibia_Air_Force-AIRCDRE.svg)
![(Nigerian Air Force)[11]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aNigeria-AirForce-OF-6.svg)
![(Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard)[14]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aTaT-Air_Guard-OF-6.png)
![(Air Force of Zimbabwe)[15]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aCanadian_RCAF_Mess_Dress_Of-06.png)
| By star ranks | |
|---|---|
| By titles |
|
