Air Force ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation

The following table presents images of the rank insignia used by the Russian Federation Air Force (VVS

VVS

VVS is a three letter acronym which may refer to:* Very Very Slightly Included, a way of describing the clarity of a diamond* Vulvar vestibulitis syndrome, a syndrome of vulvodynia associated with chronic disease* V. V. S...

). The independent Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

inherited the ranks of the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

, although the insignia and uniform

Uniform

A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...

was altered a little, especially the re-introduction of the old Czarist crown and double eagle. The Russian Air Force is an independent organisation. The Russian Air Force follows the same rank structure as the Russian Ground Forces

Russian Ground Forces

The Russian Ground Forces are the land forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, formed from parts of the collapsing Soviet Army in 1992. The formation of these forces posed economic challenges after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and required reforms to professionalize the force...

, with the addition of the title "of aviation" to each officers rank.

The English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

title for each rank is given first, followed by the Russian

Russian language

Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...

title, an English transliteration, then the United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

equivalent. Images of each insignia are provided in the table, along with images of the U.S.A.F. equivalent.

Russian armed forces have two styles of ranks - troop ranks (army style ranks) and deck ranks (navy style ranks). The army uses troop ranks, and so does the Air Force. The following table of Ranks is based on those of the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation eliminated the descriptor "of Aviation" following ranks, however, that descriptor is still in use in this service branch. The rank of a serviceman of a "Guards" unit or formation may be followed by the word “Guards.” The rank of a citizen of the legal, medical or veterinary professions shall be followed by the words “of Justice,” “of the Medical service,” or “of the Veterinary service,” to their respective ranks. The rank of a citizen having reserve or retired status shall be followed by the words “Reserve” or “Retired,” respectively.

Table of Ranks

Category	Troop ranks	Rank Insignia	NATO Equivalent Ranks and insignia of NATO Ranks and insignia of NATO are combined military insignia used by the member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.The rank scale is used for specifying posts within NATO.-Definitions:...
Supreme Officers or General Officers	General of the Army (генера́л а́рмии) (Generál ármii)	Every day blue uniform	OF-10 / OF-9
	Colonel General Colonel General Colonel General is a senior rank of General. North Korea and Russia are two countries which have used the rank extensively throughout their histories... (генера́л-полко́вник) (Generál-polkóvnik)	Every day blue uniform	OF-9 / OF-8
	Lieutenant General Lieutenant General Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General.... (генера́л-лейтена́нт) (Generál-leytenánt)	Every day blue uniform	OF-8 / OF-7
	Major General Major General Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general... (генера́л-майо́р) (Generál-mayór)	Every day blue uniform	OF-7 / OF-6
Senior Officers or Field Grade Officers	Colonel Polkovnik Polkovnik is often a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a colonel in English-speaking states. However, in the Ukraine, polkovnyk was an administrative rank similar to a governor... (полко́вник) (Polkóvnik)	Every day blue uniform	OF-5 / OF-6
	Lieutenant Colonel Podpolkovnik Podpolkovnik is a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a lieutenant colonel in English-speaking states. Usually this word is translated as lieutenant colonel, however the transliteration is also in common usage, for the sake of the historical context.The exact name of this rank... (подполко́вник) (Podpolkóvnik)	Every day blue uniform	OF-4
	Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... (майо́р) (Mayór)	Every day blue uniform	OF-3
Junior Officers or Company Grade Officers	Captain (капита́н) (Kapitán)	Every day blue uniform	OF-2
	Senior Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... (ста́рший лейтена́нт) (Stárshiy leytenánt)	Every day blue uniform	OF-2
	Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... (лейтена́нт) (Leytenánt)	Every day blue uniform	OF-1
	Junior Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... (мла́дший лейтена́нт) (Mládshiy leytenánt)	Every day blue uniform	OF-1
Under-Officers or Master non-commissioned officers	Senior Praporshchik Praporshchik Praporshchik is a rank in the Russian military.-Imperial Russia:Praporshchik was originally a name of a junior commissioned officer rank in the military of the Russian Empire equivalent to ensign... (ста́рший пра́порщик) (Stárshiy práporshchik)	Every day blue uniform	WO-2 / OR-9
Under-Officers or Master non-commissioned officers	Praporshchik Praporshchik Praporshchik is a rank in the Russian military.-Imperial Russia:Praporshchik was originally a name of a junior commissioned officer rank in the military of the Russian Empire equivalent to ensign... (пра́порщик) (Práporshchik)	Every day blue uniform	WO-1 / OR-8
Sergeants and Petty Officers	Starshina Starshina Starshina, or Starshyna , initially was a Cossacks officership, but in Soviet times was used as the top non-commissioned officer.Among Cossacks and in Ukraine, starshina was a collective noun for categories of officership or a military elite: junior starshina , general starshina , military... (старшина́) (Starshiná)	Every day green uniform	OR-7
	Senior Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... (ста́рший сержа́нт) (Stárshiy Serdzhánt)	Every day green uniform	OR-6
	Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... (сержа́нт) (Serzhánt)	Every day green uniform	OR-5
	Junior Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... (мла́дший сержа́нт) (Mládshiy Serzhánt)	Every day green uniform	OR-4
Soldiers, seamen, airmen	Gefreiter Gefreiter Gefreiter is the German, Swiss and Austrian equivalent for the military rank Private . Gefreiter was the lowest rank to which an ordinary soldier could be promoted. As a military rank it has existed since at least the 16th century... (ефре́йтор) (Yefrèytor)	Every day green uniform	OR-3
Soldiers, seamen, airmen	Private Private (rank) A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career... , Airman Airman An airman is a member of the air component of a nation's armed service. In the United States Air Force and the Royal Air Force , it can also refer to a specific enlisted rank... (рядово́й) (Ryadovóy)	Every day green uniform	OR-2 / OR-1

Table of Ranks

See also

External links