Battles of Cabin Creek

The ranks in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force are similar to those of the Chinese Army, formally known as the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, except that those of the PLA Air Force are prefixed by 空军 (Kong Jun) meaning Air Force. See Ranks 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.

Current ranks

Ranks of officers

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
Kōngjūn shang jiang
空军中将
Kōngjūn zhong jiang
空军少将
Kōngjūn shao jiang
空军大校
Kōngjūn da xiao
空军上校
Kōngjūn shang xiao
空军中校
Kōngjūn zhong xiao
空军少校
Kōngjūn shao xiao
空军上尉
Kōngjūn shang wei
空军中尉
Kōngjūn zhong wei
空军少尉
Kōngjūn shao wei
空军学员
Kōngjūn xue 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

Ranks of Enlisted Personnel

The current system of enlisted ranks and insignia dates from 2022.[1]

Unlike NATO countries, new recruits of the People's Liberation Army have no military ranks before the boot camp is completed, and they will be awarded the rank of Private/Seaman Apprentice/Airman (All collectively called "Private" or "Lie Bing" in the Chinese Language) after they have graduated from the boot 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 is Private".[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 shang shi
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 Staff sergeant first class Staff sergeant second class Sergeant Corporal Private first class Private
Shoulder insignia
Collar insignia

Civilian cadre badges

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
Civilian cadre Professional technical level 3 (deputy military post) or above
Civilian cadre
Professional technical level 3 (deputy military post) or above
Civilian cadre Professional technical level 4 or less (regular post}
Civilian cadre
Professional technical level 4 or less (regular post}
文工团
文工团
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

Historical rank insignia

Officer ranks
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
 PLA Air Force
(1955–1965)
空军上将 空军中校 空军少校 空军大校 空军上校 空军中校 空军少校 空军大尉 空军上尉 空军中尉 空军少尉 空军准尉 空军准尉
空军大将 空军上将 空军中校 空军少校 空军大校 空军上校 空军中校 空军少校 空军大尉 空军上尉 空军中尉 空军少尉 空军准尉
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
No ranks
(1965–1985)
No ranks
(1985–1988)
 PLA Air Force
(1988–1994)
空军大将
空军大将
空军上将
空军上将
空军中校
空军中校
空军少校
空军少校
空军大校
空军大校
空军上校
空军上校
空军中校
空军中校
空军少校
空军少校
空军上尉
空军上尉
空军中尉
空军中尉
空军少尉
空军少尉
空军准尉
空军准尉
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
空军准尉
Kōngjūn zhǔnwèi

Enlisted and NCOs

Type 55
Rank category Rank Shoulder board insignia Collar insignia
NCOs Technical Sergeant No shoulder insignia
Staff Sergeant
Senior Airman
Airmen Airman First Class
Airman
Type 65
Type 85
Type 88
Rank category Rank Shoulder board insignia
Senior NCOs 军士长 Chief Master Sergeant
专业军士 Master Sergeant
NCOs 上士 Technical Sergeant
中士 Staff Sergeant
下士 Senior Airman
Airmen 上等兵 Airman First Class
列兵 Airman

References

External links

See also