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{{Short description|One-star rank and an air-officer rank)}}
{{for|the butterfly with this common name|Precis actia{{!}}''Precis actia''}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Globalize||United Kingdom|date=October 2023}}
{{Military ranks | state=expanded}}

'''Air commodore''' ('''Air Cdre''' or '''Air Cmde''') is an [[air officer]] rank used by some air forces, with origins from the [[Royal Air Force]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/structure/commissionedranks.cfm |title=Ranks and Badges of the Royal Air Force |access-date=1 December 2007 |year=2007 |publisher=[[Royal Air Force]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214025748/http://www.raf.mod.uk/structure/commissionedranks.cfm |archive-date=14 December 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The rank is also used by the air forces of many [[Commonwealth of Nations|countries which have historical British influence]] and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure.

Air commodore is immediately senior to [[group captain]] and immediately subordinate to [[air vice-marshal]]. It is usually equivalent to a [[Commodore (rank)|commodore]] or a [[brigadier]]/[[brigadier general]].

The equivalent rank in the [[Women's Auxiliary Air Force]], [[Women's Royal Air Force]] (until 1968) and [[Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service]] (until 1980) was "air commandant".

==Canada==
{{see also|Canadian Armed Forces ranks and insignia}}
The rank was used in the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] (RCAF) until the 1968 [[Unification of the Canadian Armed Forces|unification of the Canadian Forces]], when army-type rank titles were adopted. Canadian air commodores then became [[brigadier-general]]s. In official [[Canadian French]] usage, the rank title was {{lang|fr|commodore de l'air}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.castlearchdale.net/id37.html |title=The RCAF |website=castlearchdale.net |access-date=22 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603201652/http://www.castlearchdale.net/id37.html |archive-date=3 June 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The position of honorary air commodore still exists in the [[Royal Canadian Air Cadets]].{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

==India==
{{main|Air commodore (India)}}

== United Kingdom ==
{{see also|RAF officer ranks}}
{{Infobox military rank
| name = Air Commodore
| image = United Kingdom-Air force-OF-6-collected.svg
| image_size = 100px
| caption = Shoulder and sleeve insignia
| image2 = UK-Air-OF6-Flag.svg
| image_size2 = 100px
| caption2 = Command flag
| image3 = RAF star plate OF-6.svg
| image_size3 = 100px
| caption3 = Star plate
| country = United Kingdom
| service branch = {{air force|United Kingdom}}
| abbreviation = Air Cdre / AIRCDRE
| rank = [[One-star rank|One-star]]
| NATO rank = [[Ranks and insignia of NATO air forces officers#Officers (OF 1–10)|OF-6]]
| formation = {{start date|1919|08|01|df=y}}
| abolished =
| higher rank = [[Air vice-marshal]]
| lower rank = [[Group captain]]
| equivalents = {{unbulleted list|{{nowrap|[[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier]] ([[British Army|Army]]; [[Royal Marines|Marines]])}}|[[Commodore (Royal Navy)|Commodore]] ([[Royal Navy|Navy]])}}
}}

In the present-day RAF, air commodores typically hold senior appointments within [[Group (air force)|groups]], acting directly in support of the [[air officer commanding]]. However, during the inter-war period, and in the case of the contemporary [[No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group (United Kingdom)|No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group]], the air officer commanding held or holds air commodore rank. In the [[Air Training Corps]], an appointed air commodore holds ultimate authority over the cadet organisation as the [[Commandant Air Cadets]].

===Origins===
On 1 April 1918, the newly created RAF adopted its officer rank titles from the [[British Army]], with officers at what is now air commodore holding the rank of [[brigadier-general]]. In response to the proposal that the RAF should use its own rank titles, it was suggested that the RAF might use the [[Royal Navy officer rank insignia|Royal Navy's officer ranks]], with the word "air" inserted before the naval rank title. Although the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] objected to this simple modification of their rank titles, it was agreed that the RAF might base many of its officer rank titles on Navy officer ranks with differing pre-modifying terms. It was also suggested that [[air officer|air-officer]] ranks could 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 term "fourth ardian" or "flight ardian" being used for the equivalent to brigadier-general and commodore. However, the rank title based on the Navy rank was preferred and air commodore 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>

===RAF insignia, command flag and star plate===
The rank insignia is a light-blue band on a broad black band worn on both the lower sleeves of the tunic or on the shoulders of the flying suit or the casual uniform. On the [[Mess dress|mess uniform]], air commodores wear a broad gold ring on both lower sleeves.

The command flag of an air commodore has one narrow red band running through the centre and is rectangular with a cut-away section giving it two tails. It is the only RAF command flag of this shape and it is similar in shape to that of a Royal Navy commodore's [[broad pennant]]. The vehicle star plate for an air commodore depicts a single white star (air commodore is equivalent to a one-star rank) on an air force blue background. RAF air commodores are classed as [[air officer]]s and as such have two rows of [[Scrambled egg (uniform)|gold oak leaves]] on the peak of their service dress hats.

<gallery>
File:File-UK-Air-OF6-mess-insignia.svg|An RAF air commodore's sleeve mess insignia
File:RAF-Air Cdre-OF-6.png |An RAF air commodore's sleeve on No. 1 service dress uniform
Image:UK-Air-OF6-Flag.svg |An air commodore's command flag
</gallery>

===Honorary air commodores, air commodores-in-chief and air commandants===
{{See also|:Category:Honorary air commodores}}
[[Image:Churchil at the Tehran Conference 1943.jpg|thumbnail|right|150px|Churchill in his air commodore's uniform at the 1943 Tehran Conference]]
The [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|reigning monarch]] may appoint honorary air commodores for RAF flying squadrons and stations. For example, [[William, Prince of Wales|Prince William]] is [[RAF Valley]]'s honorary air commodore and [[Winston Churchill]] was [[No. 615 Squadron RAF|615 Squadron]]'s honorary air commodore.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Times |first=The |date=2024-07-09 |title=Court Circular: July 9, 2024 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/royal-family/article/court-circular-july-9-2024-kn385f5pf |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=www.thetimes.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="TimesChurchillUniform">{{cite news|title=Questions Answered: Winston Churchill in uniform and Ralph or Rafe|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article4742261.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203000237/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article4742261.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 December 2008|access-date=14 June 2010|newspaper=[[The Times]]|date=13 September 2008 }}</ref> As the title suggests, this is an honorary position bestowed by the reigning monarch and it does not grant the recipient command of a unit or formation. It is designed to strengthen the bond between the military unit and the individual and promote the role of the air force among the public.

Serving officers may be granted an equivalent appointment to the honorary rank. In such cases the individual is made an honorary air commandant and they retain their regular rank.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.royal.gov.uk/LatestNewsandDiary/Pressreleases/2008/ANNOUNCEMENTOFNEWROYALAIRFORCEHONORARYAPPOINTMENTS.aspx|title=New Royal Air Force honorary appointments|publisher=The Official Website of the British Monarchy|date=2 October 2008|access-date=30 December 2011}}</ref>

Larger air force organisations or formations may be honoured by having an [[air commodore-in-chief]] appointed in their name. These RAF appointments are rare and to date (2020) have been given to just five senior members of the royal family, of whom three were reigning or [[Prince of Wales|future]] monarchs of the United Kingdom. Air commodore-in-chief is not a rank and such an appointment does not convey the rank of air commodore upon the recipient.

== Gallery ==

<gallery class="center">
File:British RAF OF-6.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>
File:British RAF OF-6.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>
File:13.Ghana Air Force-BG.svg|([[Ghana Air Force]])<ref name="Ghana_AirForce">{{cite web |title=Rank Structure |url=http://gafonline.mil.gh/airforce/index.php/subhome/rank-structure |website=gafonline.mil.gh |publisher=Ghana Air Force |access-date=3 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121080703/http://gafonline.mil.gh/airforce/index.php/subhome/rank-structure |archive-date=21 January 2018 |year=2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
File:British RAF OF-6.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>
File:13-Namibia Air Force-AIRCDRE.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>
File:Nigeria-AirForce-OF-6.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>
File:Pak-air-force-OF-6.svg|([[Pakistan Air Force]])
File:British RAF OF-6.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 />
File:British RAF OF-6.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>
File:TaT-Air Guard-OF-6.png|([[Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard]])<ref name="Trinidad&Tobago_Officer">{{cite web |title=Rank Chart (Commissioned Officers) |url=http://69.0.195.188/HQ/Our-Organisation/Ranks-Chart-(Commissioned-Officers).aspx |website=69.0.195.188 |publisher=Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force |access-date=27 May 2021 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
File:Canadian_RCAF_Mess_Dress_Of-06.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>
</gallery>

==See also==
{{stack|{{Portal|United Kingdom|Aviation}}}}
* [[Air force officer rank insignia]]
* [[Comparison of United Kingdom and United States military ranks]]
* [[List of comparative military ranks]]
* [[RAF officer ranks]]
* [[Ranks of the Royal Australian Air Force]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{UK officer ranks}}
{{Military ranks by country}}
{{Star officer ranks}}
{{Highest Military Ranks}}

[[Category:Military ranks of the Commonwealth]]
[[Category:Military ranks of Australia]]
[[Category:Former military ranks of Canada]]
[[Category:Military ranks of the Royal Air Force]]
[[Category:Pakistan Air Force ranks]]
[[Category:Military ranks of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Military ranks of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Air force ranks]]
[[Category:One-star officers]]
[[Category:1919 introductions]]

Air commodore - Revision history

Isaac22019 at 09:52, 23 March 2026