Ranks of the People's Liberation Army Air Force
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.
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.
Ranks of Enlisted Personnel
The current system of enlisted ranks and insignia dates from 2009.[1]
| Name | Usual translation | U.S. Air Force equivalent (NATO rank code) |
Commonwealth air forces equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 空军一级军士长 Kong Jun Yi Ji Jun Shi Zhang |
Air Force Chief Sergeant Class 1 | Command Chief Master Sergeant (OR-9) | Warrant Officer (OR-9) |
| 空军二级军士长 Kong Jun Er Ji Jun Shi Zhang |
Air Force Chief Sergeant Class 2 | Chief Master Sergeant (OR-9) | |
| 空军三级军士长 Kong Jun San Ji Jun Shi Zhang |
Air Force Chief Sergeant Class 3 | Senior Master Sergeant (OR-8) | |
| 空军四级军士长 Kong Jun Si Ji Jun Shi Zhang |
Air Force Chief Sergeant Class 4 | Master Sergeant (OR-7) | Flight Sergeant (OR-7) |
| 空军上士 Kong Jun Shang Shi |
Air Force Staff Sergeant (Air Force Senior Sergeant) |
Technical Sergeant (OR-6) | Sergeant (OR-6) |
| 空军中士 Kong Jun Zhong Shi |
Air Force Sergeant | Staff Sergeant (OR-5) | |
| 空军下士 Kong Jun Xia Shi |
Air Force Corporal (Air Force Junior Sergeant) |
Senior Airman (OR-4) | Corporal (OR-4) |
| 空军上等兵 Kong Jun Shang Deng Bing |
Airman First Class | Airman First Class (OR-3) | Lance Corporal (OR-3) |
| 空军列兵 Kong Jun Lie Bing |
Airman | Airman (OR-2) | Leading Aircraftman (OR-2) |
