The ranks in theChinesePeople's Liberation Army Air Force are similar to those of the Chinese Army, formally known as thePeople's Liberation Army Ground Force, except that those of the PLA Air Force are prefixed by 空军 (Kong Jun) meaning Air Force. SeeRanks of the People's Liberation Army or the article on an individual rank for details on the evolution of rank and insignia in the PLAAF. This article primarily covers the existing ranks and insignia.
The current system of officer ranks and insignia dates from 1988 and is a revision of the ranks and insignia used from 1955 to 1965. The rank of Kong Jun Yi Ji Shang Jiang (First Class General) was never held and was abolished in 1994.
| Title | 空军上将 Kōngjūnshang jiang | 空军中将 Kōngjūnzhong jiang | 空军少将 Kōngjūnshao jiang | 空军大校 Kōngjūnda xiao | 空军上校 Kōngjūnshang xiao | 空军中校 Kōngjūnzhong xiao | 空军少校 Kōngjūnshao xiao | 空军上尉 Kōngjūnshang wei | 空军中尉 Kōngjūnzhong wei | 空军少尉 Kōngjūnshao wei | 空军学员 Kōngjūnxue yuan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equivalent translation | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Senior colonel | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Officer cadet |
| Shoulder insignia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Collar insignia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
The current system of enlisted ranks and insignia dates from 2022.[1]
UnlikeNATO countries, new recruits of the People's Liberation Army have no military ranks before theboot camp is completed, and they will be awarded the rank of Private/Seaman Apprentice/Airman (All collectively called "Private" or "Lie Bing" in theChinese language) after they have graduated from theboot camp.[2] According to Article 16 of Chapter 3 of the "Regulations on the Service of Active Soldiers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army" (Chinese:中国人民解放军现役士兵服役条例), "The lowest enlisted rank isPrivate".[2]
| Title | 空军一级军士长 Kōngjūn yi ji jun shi zhang | 空军二级军士长 Kōngjūn er ji jun shi zhang | 空军三级军士长 Kōngjūn san ji jun shi zhang | 一级上士 Kōngjūn yi ji shang shi | 二级上士 Kōngjūn er ji junshi zhang | 空军中士 Kōngjūn zhong shi | 空军下士 Kōngjūn xia shi | 空军上等兵 Kōngjūn shang deng bing | 空军列兵 Kōngjūn lie bing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equivalent translation | Master sergeant first class | Master sergeant second class | Master sergeant third class | Technical sergeant | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Airman first class | Airman |
| Shoulder insignia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Collar insignia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
The current PLA Air Force 07-style uniform has special provisions for the epaulettes of non-combat troops, that is, civilian cadres, guards of honor, and military bands. Among them, the badge of the guard of honor shown in the figure was abolished in 2014.
| Category | Civilian cadres | Guard of honor | Military band | Art Troupe | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epaulette |  Professional technical level 3 (deputy military post) or above |  Professional technical level 4 or less (regular post) |  | |  | |||||||||||
| Civilian cadre Professional technical level 3 (deputy military post) or above | Civilian cadre Professional technical level 4 or less (regular post) | Honor Guard | Military Band | Art Troupe | ||||||||||||
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 PLA Air Force(1955–1965) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 空军大将 Kōngjūn Dà jiàng | 空军上将 Kōngjūn shàngjiàng | 空军中将 Kōngjūn zhōngjiàng | 空军少将 Kōngjūn shàojiàng | 空军大校 Kōngjūn dàxiào | 空军上校 Kōngjūn shàngxiào | 空军中校 Kōngjūn zhōngxiào | 空军少校 Kōngjūn shàoxiào | 空军大尉 Kōngjūn dàwèi | 空军上尉 Kōngjūn shàngwèi | 空军中尉 Kōngjūn zhōngwèi | 空军少尉 Kōngjūn shàowèi | 空军准尉 Kōngjūn zhǔnwèi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
.png) No ranks(1965–1985) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.png) No ranks(1985–1988) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PLA Air Force (1988–1994) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | .gif) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 空军一级上将 Kōngjūn yī jí shàng jiàng | 空军上将 Kōngjūn shàngjiàng | 空军中将 Kōngjūn zhōngjiàng | 空军少将 Kōngjūn shàojiàng | 空军大校 Kōngjūn dàxiào | 空军上校 Kōngjūn shàngxiào | 空军中校 Kōngjūn zhōngxiào | 空军少校 Kōngjūn shàoxiào | 空军上尉 Kōngjūn shàngwèi | 空军中尉 Kōngjūn zhōngwèi | 空军少尉 Kōngjūn shàowèi | 空军学员 Kōngjūn xueyuan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank category | Rank | Shoulder board insignia | Collar insignia |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCOs | Technical Sergeant | No shoulder insignia | .gif) |
| Staff Sergeant | .gif) | ||
| Senior Airman | .gif) | ||
| Airmen | Airman First Class | .gif) | |
| Airman | .gif) |
.png)
| Senior NCOs | NCOs | Airmen | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 军士长 Chief Master Sergeant | 专业军士 Master Sergeant | 上士 Staff Sergeant | 中士 Sergeant | 下士 Corporal | 上等兵 Airman First Class | 列兵 Airman |