South African military ranks

The South African National Defence Force's rank system is largely based on the British system, with the Air Force (and later the Military Health Service) sharing the Army rank titles.

Current ranks

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
South African Army[1] v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
South African Navy[2] v t e
			Admiral		Vice admiral		Rear admiral		Rear admiral (junior grade)		Captain		Commander		Lieutenant commander		Lieutenant		Sub lieutenant			Ensign
South African Air Force[3] v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
South African Military Health Service[4] v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Student officer ranks

Rank group	Student officer
South African Army[1]
	Officer candidate
South African Navy[2]
	Midshipman
South African Air Force[3]
	Officer candidate

Warrant officers

Rank group	Warrant officers
South African National Defence Force
	Master chief warrant officer	Senior chief warrant officer	Chief warrant officer	Master warrant officer	Senior warrant officer

Master Chief and Senior Chief Warrant Officers

The highest ranking South African non-commissioned officer is the Warrant Officer of the South African National Defence Force. They are the sole holder of the rank of Master Chief Warrant Officer.^[5] As of October 2012 the incumbent MCWO is Mothusi Kgaladi^[6]

The rank of Senior Chief Warrant Officer is only held by the Master at Arms of the Navy, the Sergeant Major of the Army, the Sergeant Major of the Air Force, and the Sergeant Major of the Military Health Service.^[5]

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
South African Army[1] v t e																													No insignia
	Warrant officer class 1						Warrant officer class 2		Staff sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance corporal		Private (or equivalent)
South African Navy[2] v t e
	Warrant officer class 1						Warrant officer class 2		Chief petty officer		Petty officer												Leading seaman						Able seaman						Seaman
South African Air Force[3] v t e																																			No insignia
	Warrant officer class 1						Warrant officer class 2		Flight sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance corporal								Aircraftman
South African Military Health Service[4] v t e																													No insignia
	Warrant officer class 1						Warrant officer class 2		Staff sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance corporal		Private (or equivalent)
Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted

Evolution of rank titles

Army and Air Force ranks

General officers

• Field marshal (1923–c. 1950)
• General (1914– ) (called "commandant-general" 1956–68)
• Lieutenant-general (1914– )
• Major-general (1914– ) (called "combat general" 1960–68)
• Brigadier-general (1912–40, 1998– )

Field officers

• Brigadier (1937–98) (called "colonel-commandant" 1937–40)
• Colonel (1912– )
• Chief commandant (Used in the Commandos 1968–70)^[7]
• Lieutenant-colonel (1912– ) (called "commandant" 1950–1988)

Company / junior officers

• Major (1912– )
• Captain (1912– )
• Lieutenant (1912– ) (called "field cornet" 1960–68)
• Second lieutenant (1918– ) (called "assistant field cornet" 1960–68)

Warrant officers

Warrant officer class 1 rank badge 1951–2002

Warrant officer class 1 rank badge 1951–2002

In June 2008^[8] a new series of warrant officer ranks were introduced.

• Warrant officer 1st class (1921– )
• Warrant officer 2nd class (1921– )
• Warrant officer (1912–21)

Non-commissioned officers

• Staff sergeant (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent "flight sergeant")
• Sergeant (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent called "air sergeant" until 1970)
• Corporal (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent called "air corporal" until 1970)
• Lance-corporal (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent called "leading air mechanic" until 1970)

Rank and file

• Private (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent called "air mechanic" 1920–70, "private" 1970–82 and "airman" 1982–)

Naval ranks

Flag officers

• Admiral (1972– )
• Vice-admiral (1965– )
• Rear-admiral (1940– )
• Rear-admiral junior grade (1998– )

Senior officers

• Commodore (1946–98)
• Captain (1941– )
• Commander (1913– )
• Lieutenant-commander (1913– )

Junior officers

• Lieutenant (1913– )
• Sub-lieutenant (1913– )
• Ensign (1913– ) (called "acting sub-lieutenant" until 1965)
• Warrant officer 1st class (1955– )
• Warrant officer 2nd class (1955– )
• Warrant officer (1913–55)

Petty officers

• Chief petty officer (1913– )
• Petty officer (1913– )
• Leading seaman (1913– )
• Able seaman (1913– )

Ratings

• Seaman (1913– )

Army

The SA Army was formed in 1912 as the Union Defence Force. It was given its present name in 1951. The rank system is derived from that of the British Army.

The ranks of General Officers changed in September 2003 when the rank previously called Brigadier became known as Brigadier General.^[9][10]

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Union of South Africa Army (1928–1953) v t e
	Field marshal		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
	Veldmaarskalk		Generaal		Luitenant-generaal		Generaal-majoor		Brigadier		Kolonel		Luitenant-kolonel		Majoor		Kaptein		Luitenant			Tweede luitenant
South African Army (1961–1994)[11] v t e
			General[lower-alpha 1]		Lieutenant general		Major general[lower-alpha 2]		Brigadier		Colonel		Chief commandant[lower-alpha 3]	Commandant	Major		Captain		Lieutenant[lower-alpha 4]			Second lieutenant[lower-alpha 5]
			Generaal		Luitenant-generaal		Generaal-majoor		Brigadier		Kolonel		Hoofkommandant	Kommandant	Majoor		Kaptein		Luitenant			Tweede luitenant
South African Army (1994-2002)[12] v t e
General Generaal		Lieutenant General Luitenant-Generaal		Major General Generaal-Majoor		Brigadier Brigadier		Colonel Kolonel		Commandant Kommandant		Major Majoor		Captain Kaptein		Lieutenant Luitenant			Second Lieutenant Tweede Luitenant

Other ranks

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Union of South Africa Army (1928–1953) v t e																													No insignia
	Warrant Officer Class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klas I						Warrant Officer Class 2 Adjudant-Offisier Klas II		Staff Sergeant Stafsersant		Sergeant Sersant												Corporal Korporaal				Lance Corporal Onderkorporaal		Private Soldaat
South African Army (1961–1994)[11] v t e																													No insignia
	Sergeant Major of the Army Sersant-Majoor van die Leër			Warrant officer class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klas I			Warrant officer class 2 Adjudant-Offisier Klas II		Staff sergeant Stafsersant		Sergeant Sersant												Corporal Korporaal				Lance corporal Onderkorporaal		Private Soldaat
South African Army (1994-2002)[12] v t e																													No insignia
	Warrant officer class 1 Adjudant-Offisier Klas I						Warrant officer class 2 Adjudant-Offisier Klas II		Staff sergeant Stafsersant		Sergeant Sersant												Corporal Korporaal				Lance corporal Onderkorporaal		Private (or equivalent)

Note: in the artillery and anti-aircraft corps, the corporal and lance-corporal are called "bombardier" (bombardeer) and "lance-bombardier" (onderbombardeer). The private is called a "gunner" in the artillery and anti-aircraft, a "rifleman" in the infantry, a "trooper" in the armoured corps, a "sapper" in the engineers, a "signalman" in the signals corps, and a "scout" in the intelligence corps.

Substantive warrant officer posts

A WO1 wearing RSM insignia

Any warrant officer class 1 could be posted to substantive posts, including

• Regimental sergeant major
• Command sergeant major
• Brigade sergeant major
• Sergeant Major of the Army
• Sergeant Major of the Air Force

However they would retain the rank of WO1, while wearing unique rank insignia. To distinguish the posting different colour backgrounds were used; for example, red for regimental sergeant major and black for command sergeant major. The sergeant major of each arm of service wore insignia topped by the arms of their respective arm of service.

In 2008 the warrant officer ranks were expanded to make each substantive rank a formal rank.

Air Force

The SA Air Force was formed in 1920. Unlike many other Commonwealth air forces, it had an army style rank system. In 2002 the Air Force officer rank insignia structure was changed from one which was shared with the Army to a new pattern based on stripes. The Air Force stated that this was "in order to bring it more in line with international forms of rank".^[13] The army-style rank titles were retained. Note: The rank of General is only used when the Chief of the Air Force is also the Chief of the Defence Force which has occurred on occasion in the past. In 2005 the South African Air Force redesigned its insignia completely, while keeping the Army titles.

Officers

Rank group	General/Flag/Air officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
South African Air Force (1961–1994) v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Commandant		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
			Generaal		Luitenant-generaal		Generaal-majoor		Brigadier		Kolonel		Kommandant		Majoor		Kaptein		Luitenant			Tweede luitenant
South African Air Force (1994-2002)[12] v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Commandant		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
			Generaal		Luitenant-generaal		Generaal-majoor		Brigadier		Kolonel		Kommandant		Majoor		Kaptein		Luitenant			Tweede luitenant

Other ranks

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
South African Air Force (1961–1994) v t e																																			No insignia
	Sergeant Major of the Air Force			Warrant officer class 1			Warrant officer class 2		Flight sergeant		Sergeant[lower-alpha 6]												Corporal[lower-alpha 7]				Lance corporal[lower-alpha 8]								Aircraftman[lower-alpha 9]
	Sersant-Majoor van die SA Lugmag			Adjudant-offisier klas I			Adjudant-offisier klas II		Vlugsersant		Sersant												Korporaal				Onderkorporaal								Vliegtuigman
South African Air Force (1994-2002)[12] v t e																																			No insignia
	Warrant officer class 1						Warrant officer class 2		Flight sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance corporal								Aircraftman
	Adjudant-offisier klas I						Adjudant-offisier klas II		Vlugsersant		Sersant												Korporaal				Onderkorporaal								Vliegtuigman

Navy

The SA Navy was originally two separate organisations, namely the South African Division of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (formed in 1913) and the South African Naval Service (formed in 1922 and renamed the "Seaward Defence Force" in 1939). They amalgamated in 1942 to form the SA Naval Forces, which were renamed "SA Navy" in 1951. The rank system is based on that of the (British) Royal Navy.^[14]

The ranks of flag officers changed in 1997 when the rank previously called Commodore became known as Rear Admiral (Junior Grade).^[15]

Officers

Rank group	General/flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
South African Navy (1961–1994) v t e
			Admiral		Vice admiral		Rear admiral		Commodore		Captain		Commander		Lieutenant commander		Lieutenant		Sub-lieutenant			Ensign
			Admiraal		Vise-admiraal		Skoutadmiraal		Kommodoor		Kaptein		Kommandeur		Luitenant-kommandeur		Luitenant		Onderluitenant			Vaandrig
South African Navy (1994-2002)[12] v t e
			Admiral		Vice admiral		Rear admiral		Commodore		Captain		Commander		Lieutenant commander		Lieutenant		Sub-lieutenant			Ensign
			Admiraal		Vise-admiraal		Skoutadmiraal		Kommodoor		Kaptein		Kommandeur		Luitenant-kommandeur		Luitenant		Onderluitenant			Vaandrig

Enlisted

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
South African Navy (1961–1994) v t e
	Master at Arms of the Navy			Warrant officer class 1			Warrant officer class 2		Chief petty officer		Petty officer												Leading seaman						Able seaman
	Sersant-majoor van die SA Vloot			Adjudant-offisier klas I			Adjudant-offisier klas II		Eerste bootsman		Bootsman												Baasseeman						Bevare seeman
South African Navy (1994-2002)[12] v t e
	Warrant officer class 1						Warrant officer class 2		Chief petty officer		Petty officer												Leading seaman						Able seaman
	Adjudant-offisier klas I						Adjudant-offisier klas II		Eerste bootsman		Bootsman												Baasseeman						Bevare seeman

Health Service

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
South African Medical Service (1961–1994) v t e
			General Generaal		Lieutenant General Luitenant-Generaal		Major General Generaal-Majoor		Brigadier Brigadier		Colonel Kolonel		Commandant Kommandant		Major Majoor		Captain Kaptein		Lieutenant Luitenant			Second Lieutenant Tweede Luitenant

See also

• Comparative military ranks
• Comparative military ranks of apartheid states in southern Africa
• List of badges of the South African Army

Notes

1. Called commandant general (kommandant-generaal) from 1956 to 1968.
2. Called combat general (bestry generaal) from 1960 to 1968.
3. Only in the commandos from 1968 to 1970.
4. Called field cornet (veldkornet) from 1960 to 1968.
5. Called assistant field cornet (assistent veldkornet) from 1960 to 1968.
6. Called air sergeant (lugsersant) from 1960 to 1968.
7. Called air sorporal (lugkorporaal) from 1960 to 1968.
8. Called leading air mechanic (leiend lugwerktuigkundige) until 1970.
9. Called air mechanic (lugwerktuigkundige) from 1920 to 1970. Called private (soldaat) from 1970 to 1982.

References

1. "Uniform: Rank insignia". army.mil.za. Department of Defence (South Africa). Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
2. "Rank Insignia". navy.mil.za. Department of Defence (South Africa). Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
3. "Rank Insignia". af.mil.za. Department of Defence (South Africa). Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
4. "Rank insignia". South Africa Military Health Service. Department of Defence. 26 January 2007. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
5. "Fact file: Comparative military and civil service grades". DefenceWeb.
6. "Mothusi Victor Kgaladi new WO SANDF". DefenceWeb.
7. Radburn, Arthur (1990). "South African Army Ranks and Insignia". South African Journal of Military Studies. 20 (2): 2.
8. Pale, Frans (Lt Col). "DOD News Sep 2008" (PDF). SA Department of Defence. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
9. "Airforce Rank Structure". Unofficial SA Airforce website.
10. "Uniform: rank insignia". army.mil.za. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
11. Radburn, A. (22 February 2012). "SOUTH AFRICAN ARMY RANKS AND INSIGNIA". Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies. 20 (2): 1–4. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
12. Smaldone, Joseph P. (1997). "National Security". In Byrnes, Rita M. (ed.). South Africa: a country study. Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 378–379. LCCN 96048983. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
13. SAAF Rank Insignia
14. "Rank insignia of the South African Navy". navy.mil.za. Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
15. Bennett, C. H.; Söderlund, A. G. (2008). South Africa's navy : a navy of the people and for the people. p. 185. ISBN 978-0-620-41446-3.