🇦🇺
Australia vs Japan Military Ranks
The Australian Army has 17 ranks — 11 officer and 6 enlisted — from Private (or equivalent) up to Field marshal. Below: all 51 ranks across 3 branches (Army, Navy, Air Force), aligned tier by tier with their Japanese equivalents.
Branches
3
Ranks documented
51
Active personnel
58K
Army
Rank Ladder
Highest first · 13 of 17 matched
| 🇦🇺 Australia · Army | NATO code |
Equivalent in
|
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
Field marshal
|
OF-10 Marshal / General of the Army | – |
General
|
OF-9 General |
幕僚長たる陸将 Bakuryōchō-taru-rikushō
|
Lieutenant general
|
OF-8 Lieutenant General |
陸将 Rikushō
|
Major general
|
OF-7 Major General |
陸将補 Rikushō-ho
|
Brigadier
|
OF-6 Brigadier General | – |
Colonel
|
OF-5 Colonel |
1等陸佐 Ittō rikusa
|
Lieutenant colonel
|
OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel |
2等陸佐 Nitō rikusa
|
Major
|
OF-3 Major / Commandant |
3等陸佐 Santō rikusa
|
Captain
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
1等陸尉 Ittō rikui
|
Lieutenant
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
2等陸尉 Nitō rikui
3等陸尉 Santō rikui
准陸尉 Jun rikui
|
Second lieutenant
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
2等陸尉 Nitō rikui
3等陸尉 Santō rikui
准陸尉 Jun rikui
|
| Enlisted ranks | ||
Warrant officer class 1
|
OR-9 Sergeant Major |
陸曹長 Rikusōchō
|
Warrant officer class 2
|
OR-8 1st Sergeant |
1等陸曹 Ittō rikusō
|
Sergeant
|
OR-6 Staff Sergeant |
3等陸曹 Santō rikusō
|
Corporal
|
OR-5 Sergeant | – |
Lance corporal
|
OR-4 Corporal | – |
| Private (or equivalent) | OR-2 Private |
1等陸士 Ittō rikushi
|
Navy
Rank Ladder
Highest first · 14 of 17 matched
| 🇦🇺 Australia · Navy | NATO code |
Equivalent in
|
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
Admiral of the fleet
|
OF-10 Marshal / General of the Army | – |
Admiral
|
OF-9 General |
幕僚長たる海将 Bakuryōchō-taru-kaishō
|
Vice admiral
|
OF-8 Lieutenant General |
海将 Kaishō
|
Rear admiral
|
OF-7 Major General |
海将補 Kaishō-ho
|
Commodore
|
OF-6 Brigadier General | – |
Captain
|
OF-5 Colonel |
1等海佐 Ittō kaisa
|
Commander
|
OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel |
2等海佐 Nitō kaisa
|
Lieutenant commander
|
OF-3 Major / Commandant |
3等海佐 Santō kaisa
|
Lieutenant
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
1等海尉 Ittō kaii
|
Sub lieutenant
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
2等海尉 Nitō kaii
3等海尉 Santō kaii
准海尉 Jun kaii
|
Acting sub lieutenant
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
2等海尉 Nitō kaii
3等海尉 Santō kaii
准海尉 Jun kaii
|
| Enlisted ranks | ||
Warrant officer
|
OR-9 Sergeant Major |
海曹長 Kaisōchō
|
Chief petty officer
|
OR-8 1st Sergeant |
1等海曹 Ittō kaisō
|
Petty officer
|
OR-6 Staff Sergeant |
3等海曹 Santō kaisō
|
Leading seaman
|
OR-5 Sergeant | – |
Able seaman
|
OR-3 Private 1st Class |
海士長 Kaishichō
|
Seaman
|
OR-2 Private |
1等海士 Ittō kaishi
|
Air Force
Rank Ladder
Highest first · 14 of 17 matched
| 🇦🇺 Australia · Air Force | NATO code |
Equivalent in
|
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
Marshal of the RAAF
|
OF-10 Marshal / General of the Army | – |
Air chief marshal
|
OF-9 General |
幕僚長たる空将 Bakuryōchō-taru-kūshō
|
Air marshal
|
OF-8 Lieutenant General |
空将 Kūshō
|
Air vice-marshal
|
OF-7 Major General |
空将補 Kūshō-ho
|
Air commodore
|
OF-6 Brigadier General | – |
Group captain
|
OF-5 Colonel |
1等空佐 Ittō kūsa
|
Wing commander
|
OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel |
2等空佐 Nitō kūsa
|
Squadron leader
|
OF-3 Major / Commandant |
3等空佐 Santō kūsa
|
Flight lieutenant
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
1等空尉 Ittō kūi
|
Flying officer
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
2等空尉 Nitō kūi
3等空尉 Santō kūi
准空尉 Jun kūi
|
Pilot officer
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
2等空尉 Nitō kūi
3等空尉 Santō kūi
准空尉 Jun kūi
|
| Enlisted ranks | ||
Warrant officer
|
OR-9 Sergeant Major |
空曹長 Kūsōchō
|
Flight sergeant
|
OR-8 1st Sergeant |
1等空曹 Ittō kūsō
|
Sergeant
|
OR-6 Staff Sergeant |
3等空曹 Santō kūsō
|
Corporal
|
OR-5 Sergeant | – |
Leading aircraftman/aircraftwoman
|
OR-3 Private 1st Class |
空士長 Kūshichō
|
Aircraftman/aircraftwoman
|
OR-2 Private |
1等空士 Ittō kūshi
|
Overview
- Royal Australian Navy (RAN): Conducts maritime warfare, sea patrol, and amphibious operations. Headquartered in Canberra, with its operational Fleet Command based at HMAS Kuttabul in Sydney. Its primary elements include the Surface Force, Submarine Force, Fleet Air Arm, and the Information Warfare Force.
- Australian Army: Conducts land warfare and special operations. Headquartered in Canberra, with operational commands including Forces Command, Special Operations Command, and Army Aviation Command. Primary field formations include the 1st Division and the 2nd Division, which organize regular and reserve combat brigades.
- Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF): Operates combat, transport, and surveillance aircraft. Headquartered in Canberra, with its operational Air Command located at RAAF Base Glenbrook. Capabilities are structured across six Force Element Groups, which include the Air Combat Group, Air Mobility Group, and the Surveillance and Response Group.
- Joint Capabilities Group (JCG): Administers and generates joint warfighting capabilities across cyber, space, logistics, and training domains. Headquartered in Canberra, it commands Space Command and Cyber Command to integrate multidomain operations. This organizational structure consolidates space and cyber operations under a single joint military command rather than maintaining separate military services.
Australia Military
Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) and other open sources.
Insignia image credits
- Skjoldbro — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Captain, Commander, Lieutenant commander, Lieutenant, Sub lieutenant, Marshal of the RAAF, Air chief marshal, Air marshal, Air vice-marshal, Air commodore, Group captain, Wing commander, Squadron leader, Flight lieutenant, Flying officer, Pilot officer
- Sodacan — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Warrant officer class 1, Warrant officer class 2, Sergeant, Corporal, Lance corporal, Admiral of the fleet, Admiral, Vice admiral, Rear admiral, Commodore, Warrant officer, Chief petty officer, Petty officer, Leading seaman, Able seaman, Seaman
- Nford24 — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Field marshal, General, Lieutenant general, Major general, Brigadier, Colonel, Lieutenant colonel, Major, Captain, Lieutenant, Second lieutenant
- KarmaKangaroo — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Warrant officer, Flight sergeant, Sergeant, Corporal, Leading aircraftman/aircraftwoman, Aircraftman/aircraftwoman