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Anair officer is anair force officer of the rank ofair commodore or 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 manyCommonwealth nations 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-chief positions are titled as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C).[citation needed]
In theBritish Armed Forces, where the term originated, an air officer is equivalent in concept toflag officer andgeneral officer in 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 Navy equivalent (commodore) is not considered a flag officer, nor is theBritish Army orRoyal Marines equivalent (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 officers are considered to be general officers, andone-star officers of 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 country air 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:
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'sbatons and, since the coronation ofQueen Elizabeth II, theSt Edward's Crown representing royal authority.[7] Prior to 1953, theTudor Crown (sometimes called the King's Crown) was used.
The air officer ranks are as follows:
| Marshal of the Air Force |
| Air chief marshal |
| Air marshal |
| Air vice-marshal |
| Air commodore |
The air officer terminology is currently used by the following air forces:
| By star ranks | |
|---|---|
| By titles |
|
