https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Air_chief_marshalAir chief marshal - Revision history2026-08-19T03:02:57ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Air_chief_marshal&diff=432336&oldid=prevConvex: Four-star rank in air force2023-09-27T17:52:10Z<p>Four-star rank in air force</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Four-star rank in air force}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}<br />
{{refimprove|date=October 2022}}<br />
{{Military ranks | state=expanded}}<br />
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'''Air Chief Marshal''' ('''Air Chf Mshl''' or '''ACM''') is a high-ranking [[air officer]] originating from the [[Royal Air Force]]. The rank is used by air forces of many [[Commonwealth of Nations|countries that have historical British influence]]. An air chief marshal is equivalent to an [[Admiral]] in a [[List of navies|navy]] or a [[full general]] in an [[List of armies by country|army]] or other nations' air forces.<br />
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The rank of air chief marshal is immediately senior to the rank of [[air marshal]] but subordinate to [[marshal of the air force]]. Air chief marshals are sometimes generically considered to be air marshals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.debretts.com/forms-address/professions/armed-forces/royal-air-force/air-chief-marshal-air-marshal-and-air-vice |title=Forms of Address: Air Chief Marshal, Air Marshal and Air Vice-Marshal |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Debrett's |access-date=4 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119043809/http://www.debretts.com/forms-address/professions/armed-forces/royal-air-force/air-chief-marshal-air-marshal-and-air-vice |archive-date=19 November 2015 }}</ref><br />
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== Royal Air Force use and history ==<br />
{{Main list|List of Royal Air Force air chief marshals}}<br />
{{see also|RAF officer ranks}}<br />
{{Infobox military rank<br />
| name = Air chief marshal<br />
| image = UK-Air-OF9-Flag.svg<br />
| image_size = 150px<br />
| caption = An RAF air chief marshal's command flag<br />
| image2 = United Kingdom-Air force-OF-9-collected.svg<br />
| image_size2 = 100px<br />
| caption2 = Shoulder and sleeve insignia from the [[Royal Air Force]]<br />
| image3 = File:Air Chief Marshal star plate.svg<br />
| image_size3 = 100px<br />
| caption3 = An RAF Air Chief Marshal star plate<br />
| country = <br />
| service branch = [[Air force]]s<br />
| abbreviation = Air Chf Mshl / ACM<br />
| rank = [[Four-star rank|Four-star]] <br />
| NATO rank = [[Ranks and insignia of NATO air forces officers#Officers (OF 1–10)|OF-9]]<br />
| Non-NATO rank = <br />
| formation = {{start date|1919|08|01|df=y}} ([[Royal Air Force|RAF]])<br />
| abolished = <br />
| higher rank = [[Marshal of the Royal Air Force]]<br />
| lower rank = [[Air marshal]]<br />
| equivalents = {{unbulleted list|{{nowrap|[[General (United Kingdom)|General]] ([[British Army]]; [[Royal Marines]])}}|[[Admiral (Royal Navy)|Admiral]] ([[Royal Navy|RN]])}}<br />
| history = <br />
}}<br />
===Origins===<br />
Prior to the adoption of RAF-specific rank titles in 1919, it was suggested that the RAF might use the [[Royal Navy]]'s officer ranks, with the word "air" inserted before the naval rank title. For example, the rank that later became air chief marshal would have been air admiral. The [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] objected to any use of their rank titles, including this modified form, and so an alternative proposal was put forward: [[air officer|air-officer]] ranks would be based on the term "ardian", which was derived from a combination of the [[Goidelic languages|Gaelic]] words for "chief" (''ard'') and "bird" (''eun''), with the unmodified word "ardian" being used specifically for the equivalent to full admiral and general. However, air chief marshal was preferred and was adopted in August 1919.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hobart |first=Malcolm C |date=2000 |title=Badges and Uniforms of the Royal Air Force |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ATMDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT29 |publisher=Leo Cooper |page=26 |isbn=0-85052-739-2}}</ref> The rank was first used on 1 April 1922 with the promotion of [[Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard|Sir Hugh Trenchard]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Trenchard.htm|title=H M Trenchard_P|website=www.rafweb.org}}</ref> With Trenchard's promotion to marshal of the RAF on 1 January 1927, no officer held the rank until Sir [[John Salmond]] was promoted on 1 January 1929. It has been used continuously ever since.<br />
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In the RAF, the rank of air chief marshal is held by the serving [[Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Air Staff]] (currently Sir [[Richard Knighton]]). Additionally, RAF officers appointed to [[four-star rank|four-star]] tri-service posts hold the rank of air chief marshal. Throughout the history of the RAF, 139 RAF officers have held the rank and it has also been awarded in an honorary capacity to senior members of the [[British Royal Family]] and allied foreign monarchs.<br />
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Although no serving RAF officer has been promoted to marshal of the Royal Air Force since the British defence cuts of the 1990s, British air chief marshals are not the most senior officers in the RAF as several officers continue to retain the RAF's highest rank. Additionally, [[Jock Stirrup, Baron Stirrup|Lord Stirrup]] was granted an honorary promotion to marshal of the Royal Air Force in 2014. The marshals are still to be found on the RAF's active list even though they have for all practical purposes retired.<br />
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===RAF insignia, command flag and star plate===<br />
The rank insignia consists of three narrow light blue bands (each on a slightly wider black band) over a light blue band on a broad black band. This is worn on the lower sleeves of the service dress jacket or on the shoulders of the flying suit or working uniform. The command flag for an RAF air chief marshal is defined by the two broad red bands running through the centre of the flag. The vehicle star plate for an RAF air chief marshal depicts four white stars (air chief marshal is a four-star rank) on an air force blue background.<br />
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== Australia ==<br />
{{main|Air chief marshal (Australia)}}<br />
{{see also|Australian Defence Force ranks}}<br />
In the [[Royal Australian Air Force]], this rank is only used when the [[Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)|Chief of the Defence Force]] is an Air Force officer. When this is not the case, the senior ranking Air Force officer is the [[Chief of Air Force (Australia)|Chief of Air Force]], holding the rank of [[air marshal (Australia)|air marshal]].<ref name="Australia">{{cite web |title=Badges of rank |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/images/Badges_of_rank.pdf |website=defence.gov.au |publisher=Department of Defence (Australia) |access-date=31 May 2021}}</ref><br />
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With the establishment of the Australian Air Board on 9 November 1920, Australian Air Corps officers dropped their army ranks in favour of those based on the Royal Air Force. However, it was not until 1965 when [[Frederick Scherger|Sir Frederick Scherger]] became Chairman of the Australian Chiefs of Staff Committee, and was promoted to air chief marshal that an RAAF officer attained the rank. Throughout the history of the RAAF, only four of its officers have held the rank. Apart from Scherger, they are [[Neville McNamara|Sir Neville McNamara]] (promoted 1982), [[Angus Houston|Sir Angus Houston]] (promoted 2005) and [[Mark Binskin]] (promoted 2014). McNamara, Houston and Binskin are former Australian Defence Force chiefs; as of July 2018, General [[Angus Campbell (general)|Angus Campbell]] is the current chief of the Australian Defence Force.<br />
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== Bangladesh ==<br />
In 2016 the Bangladeshi [[Chief of Air Staff (Bangladesh)|Chief of Air Staff]] position was upgraded from air marshal to air chief marshal rank.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daily-sun.com/printversion/details/107524/Navy-BAF-chiefs%E2%80%99-rank-upgraded |title=Navy, BAF chiefs' rank upgraded |website=Daily-sun.com |date=2016-01-17 |accessdate=2016-07-19}}</ref> Since then the rank has been held by [[Abu Esrar]], [[Masihuzzaman Serniabat]] and [[Shaikh Abdul Hannan]].<br />
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== Canada ==<br />
Throughout the 20th century history of the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]], only two officers held the rank of air chief marshal. They were: [[Lloyd Samuel Breadner]]<ref name="Canada in the Second World War">{{cite web|url=https://www.junobeach.org/canada-in-the-second-world-war/|title=Canada in the Second World War|date=21 February 2014|website=Juno Beach Centre}}</ref> (promoted 1945) and [[Frank Robert Miller]]<ref>{{cite journal|author=Stouffer, Ray |url=http://www.journal.dnd.ca/vol10/no2/08-stouffer-eng.asp |title=Air Chief Marshal Frank Miller – A Civilian and Military Leader |journal=Canadian Military Journal |volume=10 |number=2 |date=2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100926121630/http://www.journal.dnd.ca/vol10/no2/08-stouffer-eng.asp |archive-date=26 September 2010 }}</ref> (promoted 1961). The rank existed on paper until the 1968 unification of the [[Canadian Forces]], when Army-type rank titles were adopted and the rank of air chief marshal was replaced by that of full [[general (Canada)|general]]. As no serving officers held the rank in 1968, no Canadian air chief marshals were regraded to general and Miller, the then only living retired air chief marshal, retained his rank. When Miller died in 1997 the Canadian rank of air chief marshal effectively passed into history. The 21st century re-creation of the Royal Canadian Air Force has not seen the rank revived and as of 2014 there are no plans for such a change. Army-style rank titles continue to be used although a return to the former insignia has been enacted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/article-template-standard.page?doc=rcaf-receives-new-rank-insignia/i0dslgrl|title=News Article – RCAF receives new rank insignia|first=National Defence|last=Government of Canada|date=25 September 2014|website=www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca}}</ref> In official French Canadian usage, the rank title was ''maréchal en chef de l'air''.<br />
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== India ==<br />
{{Main|Air chief marshal (India)}}<br />
In the [[Indian Air Force]], the [[Chief of Air Staff (India)|Chief of Air Staff]] (CAS) (currently ACM [[Vivek Ram Chaudhari]]) holds the rank of Air Chief Marshal. The position of the CAS was upgraded from [[Air Marshal]] to Air Chief Marshal in 1966. The first IAF officer to hold this rank was Air Chief Marshal [[Arjan Singh]] (later promoted to the [[five-star rank]] of [[Marshal of the Air Force|marshal of the Indian Air Force]]) who was promoted to the rank in 1966 while he served as the CAS.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Legends/Arjan.html |title=Arjan |access-date=4 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080327195335/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Legends/Arjan.html |archive-date=27 March 2008 }}</ref> Post 1966, all the Indian air chiefs have held the rank. As of 2014, 19 Indian chiefs of the air staff have held the rank. In the Indian Air Force the honorary promotion of Arjan Singh to [[Marshal of the air force|marshal of the Indian Air Force]] in 2002 resulted in Indian air chief marshals no longer being the most senior IAF officers until Singh's death in 2017.<br />
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==Namibia==<br />
{{see also|Military ranks of Namibia}}<br />
In the [[Namibian Air Force]], the rank is known as Chief air marshal.<ref name="Namibia" /><br />
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== Nigeria ==<br />
{{see also|Military ranks of Nigeria}}<br />
The Nigerian air chief marshal is the second highest-ranking officer in the [[Nigerian Air Force]], below [[Marshal of the air force]].<ref name="Nigeria" /> Only the [[Chief of the Defence Staff (Nigeria)|Chief of the Defence Staff]] holds [[four-star rank]]. The first Nigerian Air Force officer to attain the rank of air chief marshal was [[Paul Dike]] upon his appointment as the Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff in 2008. Dike was succeeded as Chief of the Defence Staff in 2010 by Air Chief Marshal [[Oluseyi Petinrin]]. In 2014, [[Alex Sabundu Badeh]] was appointed Chief of Defence Staff and promoted to air chief marshal. The Nigerian Chief of Air Staff is normally a three-star air marshal.<br />
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== Pakistan ==<br />
In March 1976, as part of a Pakistani Defence Ministry reorganization, the post of [[Chief of Air Staff (Pakistan)|Chief of Air Staff]], the head of the Pakistan Air Force, was upgraded from air marshal to air chief marshal rank. To date all Pakistani air chief marshals have been members of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Pakistan|Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee]]. However, only Air Chief Marshal [[Farooq Feroze Khan]] has served as [[Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (Pakistan)|Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee]], the supreme commandant of Pakistan Armed Forces.<br />
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Originally, a Pakistani air chief marshal's rank insignia was essentially the same as the RAF insignia. In 2006 the Pakistan Air Force changed [[Air Force ranks and insignia of Pakistan|the rank insignia for its officers]],<ref name="Rank change">{{cite news|title=PAF changes officers’ rank insignia |url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=14307&Cat=2&dt=7/6/2006 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416131903/http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=14307&Cat=2&dt=7/6/2006 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 April 2013 |access-date=25 January 2012 |newspaper=The News |date=6 July 2006 }}</ref> abandoning the ring insignia in favor of a Turkish Air Force-style featuring four stars and a crossed swords and laurel device.<br />
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== Sri Lanka ==<br />
In Sri Lanka, only the [[Chief of the Defence Staff (Sri Lanka)|Chief of Defence Staff]] holds an active [[four-star rank]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Commissioned Officers |url=http://www.airforce.lk/ranks.php |website=airforce.lk |publisher=Sri Lanka Air Force |access-date=24 September 2021}}</ref> Retiring [[Commander of the Air Force (Sri Lanka)|Commanders of the Sri Lanka Air Force]] are promoted to the rank of air chief marshal as an outgoing honour. Air Chief Marshal [[Donald Perera]] was the first CDS appointed from the Air Force and Air Chief Marshal [[Roshan Goonetileke]] became the first serving Air Force Commander to be appointed to the rank of air chief marshal as part of the victory celebrations.<br />
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== Thailand ==<br />
{{refimprove|section|date=July 2023}}<br />
[[File:RTAF OF-9 (Air Chief Marshal).svg|thumb|right|70px|Rank insignia of a [[Royal Thai Air Force]] air chief marshal]]<br />
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The [[List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Air Force|officer appointed to command]] the [[Royal Thai Air Force]] has been promoted to the rank of air chief marshal ({{lang-th|พลอากาศเอก|Phon Akat Ek}}) since {{Circa|1950}}. The present commander is Air Chief Marshal [[Alongkorn Wannarot]] who is supported by the Deputy Commander-in-Chief (currently Air Chief Marshal Chanon Mungthanya) and the Assistant Commander-in-Chief (currently Air Chief Marshal Punpakdee Pattanakul). If an air force officer is appointed to the position of [[List of Commanders of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters|Chief of Defence Forces]] (formerly Supreme Commander), then he has always held the rank of air chief marshal. The last air chief marshal to be appointed Supreme Commander was Air Chief Marshal Voranat Aphichari who retired in 1994.<br />
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In November 2007 it became known that crown prince [[Vajiralongkorn]] (now king of Thailand) had granted the title of Air Chief Marshal to his pet [[poodle]] [[Fufu (dog)|Fufu]]. The dog died in 2015.<ref>Andrew MacGregor Marshall: [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/05/thai-crown-prince-pet-poodle-air-chief-marshal-foo-foo-cremated Thai crown prince’s poodle, Air Chief Marshal Foo Foo, has been cremated] [[The Guardian]], 5 February 2015; Gordon Rayner: [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8304660/WikiLeaks-cables-Thailands-royal-pet.html WikiLeaks cables: Thailand's royal pet] [[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]], 5 February 2011.</ref><br />
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==Gallery==<br />
<!--In alphabetic order of country name please--><br />
<gallery class=center><br />
File:Australia RAAF OF-9.svg|([[Royal Australian Air Force]])<ref name="Australia">{{cite web |title=Badges of rank |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/images/Badges_of_rank.pdf |website=defence.gov.au |publisher=Department of Defence (Australia) |access-date=31 May 2021}}</ref><br />
File:British RAF OF-9.svg|([[Bangladesh Air Force]])<ref>{{cite web |title=OFFICER'S RANKS |url=http://www.joinbangladeshairforce.mil.bd/index.php/main_controll/ranks_structure_baf?1=1&pagemenu=ranks_structure_baf&submenu=1&leafsub=0 |website=joinbangladeshairforce.mil.bd |access-date=11 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219212643/http://www.joinbangladeshairforce.mil.bd/index.php/main_controll/ranks_structure_baf?1=1&pagemenu=ranks_structure_baf&submenu=1&leafsub=0 |archive-date=19 February 2020}}</ref><br />
File:Indian IAF OF-9.svg|([[Indian Air Force]])<ref>{{cite web |title=For Officers |url=http://www.careerairforce.nic.in/life_airforce/lifeair_cargraph_officers.html |website=careerairforce.nic.in |publisher=Indian Air Force |access-date=23 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225210317/http://www.careerairforce.nic.in/life_airforce/lifeair_cargraph_officers.html |archive-date=25 February 2012}}</ref><br />
File:16-Namibia Air Force-ACM.svg|([[Namibian Air Force]])<ref name="Namibia">{{cite magazine |title=Government Notice |magazine=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia |date=20 August 2010 |volume=4547 |pages=99-102 |url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2010/4547.pdf |access-date=20 December 2021}}</ref><br />
File:Nigeria-AirForce-OF-9.svg|([[Nigerian Air Force]])<ref name="Nigeria">{{cite book |last1=Smaldone |first1=Joseph P. |editor1-last=Metz |editor1-first=Helen Chapin |editor-link=Helen Chapin Metz |title=Nigeria: a country study |series=Area Handbook |date=1992 |publisher=Library of Congress |location=Washington, D.C. |lccn=92009026 |pages=296-297 |edition=5th |url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/frdcstdy.nigeriacountryst00metz_0/?sp=340 |access-date=21 October 2021 |chapter=National Security}}</ref><br />
File:Pak-air-force-OF-9.svg|([[Pakistan Air Force]])<br />
File:UK-Air-OF9.svg|([[Sri Lanka Air Force]])<ref>{{cite web |title=Commissioned Officers |url=http://www.airforce.lk/ranks.php |website=airforce.lk |publisher=Sri Lanka Air Force |access-date=24 September 2021}}</ref><br /><br />
File:British RAF OF-9.svg|([[Royal Air Force]])<ref name="UK_AirForce">{{cite web |title=RAF Ranks |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/raf-ranks/ |website=raf.mod.uk/ |publisher=Royal Air Force |access-date=21 September 2021}}</ref><br />
File:Canadian RCAF Mess Dress Of-09.png|([[Air Force of Zimbabwe]])<ref name="Zimbabwe_AirForce">{{cite web |title=RANKS AND BADGES IN THE AFZ |url=http://www.afz.gov.zw/?page_id=1115 |website=afz.gov.zw |publisher=Air Force of Zimbabwe |access-date=29 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609134525/http://www.afz.gov.zw/?page_id=1115 |archive-date=9 June 2022}}</ref> <br />
</gallery><br />
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==See also==<br />
{{stack|<br />
* [[Air force officer rank insignia]]<br />
* [[British and U.S. military ranks compared]]<br />
* [[Comparative military ranks]]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
{{-}}<br />
{{UK officer ranks}}<br />
{{Military ranks by country}}<br />
{{Star officer ranks}}<br />
{{Highest Military Ranks}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Military ranks of the Commonwealth]]<br />
[[Category:Military ranks of Australia]]<br />
[[Category:Former military ranks of Canada]]<br />
[[Category:Military ranks of the Royal Air Force]]<br />
[[Category:Military ranks of Sri Lanka]]<br />
[[Category:Air force ranks]]</div>Convex