🇱🇰

Ranks· 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Military Ranks

The Sri Lankan Army has 17 ranks — 10 officer and 7 enlisted — from Private up to General. Below: all 51 ranks across 3 branches (Army, Navy, Air Force), with insignia and NATO-code equivalents.

Branches

Ranks documented

Active personnel

265K

Army

Rank Ladder Highest first · 17 of 17 matched

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka · Army	NATO code	Equivalent in
Officers
General	OF-9 General	General
Lieutenant general	OF-8 Lieutenant General	Lieutenant general
Major general	OF-7 Major General	Major general
Brigadier	OF-6 Brigadier General	Brigadier general
Colonel	OF-5 Colonel	Colonel
Lieutenant colonel	OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel	Lieutenant colonel
Major	OF-3 Major / Commandant	Major
Captain	OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant	Captain
Lieutenant	OF-1 Lieutenant	First lieutenant Second lieutenant
Second lieutenant	OF-1 Lieutenant	First lieutenant Second lieutenant
Enlisted ranks
Warrant officer class I	OR-9 Sergeant Major	Command sergeant major Sergeant major
Warrant officer class II	OR-8 1st Sergeant	First sergeant Master sergeant
Staff sergeant	OR-7 Sergeant 1st Class	Sergeant first class
Sergeant	OR-6 Staff Sergeant	Staff sergeant
Corporal / Bombardier	OR-4 Corporal	Specialist Corporal
Lance corporal / Lance bombardier	OR-3 Private 1st Class	Private first class
Private	OR-1 Private	Private

Navy

Rank Ladder Highest first · 17 of 17 matched

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka · Navy	NATO code	Equivalent in
Officers
Admiral	OF-9 General	Admiral
Vice admiral	OF-8 Lieutenant General	Vice admiral
Rear admiral	OF-7 Major General	Rear admiral
Commodore	OF-6 Brigadier General	Rear admiral (lower half)
Captain	OF-5 Colonel	Captain
Commander	OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel	Commander
Lieutenant commander	OF-3 Major / Commandant	Lieutenant commander
Lieutenant	OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant	Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant	OF-1 Lieutenant	Lieutenant (junior grade) Ensign
Midshipman	OF-D Student Officer	Midshipman / officer candidate
Enlisted ranks
Master chief petty officer	OR-9 Sergeant Major	Command master chief petty officer Master chief petty officer
Fleet chief petty officer	OR-8 1st Sergeant	Command senior chief petty officer Senior chief petty officer
Chief petty officer	OR-7 Sergeant 1st Class	Chief petty officer
Petty officer	OR-6 Staff Sergeant	Petty officer first class
Leading seaman	OR-4 Corporal	Petty officer third class
Able seaman	OR-2 Private	Seaman apprentice
Seaman recruit	OR-1 Private	Seaman recruit

Air Force

Rank Ladder Highest first · 17 of 17 matched

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka · Air Force	NATO code	Equivalent in
Officers
Air chief marshal	OF-9 General	General
Air marshal	OF-8 Lieutenant General	Lieutenant general
Air vice-marshal	OF-7 Major General	Major general
Air commodore	OF-6 Brigadier General	Brigadier general
Group captain	OF-5 Colonel	Colonel
Wing commander	OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel	Lieutenant colonel
Squadron leader	OF-3 Major / Commandant	Major
Flight lieutenant	OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant	Captain
Flying officer	OF-1 Lieutenant	First lieutenant Second lieutenant
Pilot officer	OF-1 Lieutenant	First lieutenant Second lieutenant
Enlisted ranks
Master warrant officer	OR-9 Sergeant Major	Command chief master sergeant First sergeant Chief master sergeant
Warrant officer	OR-8 1st Sergeant	First sergeant Senior master sergeant
Flight sergeant	OR-7 Sergeant 1st Class	First sergeant Master sergeant
Sergeant	OR-6 Staff Sergeant	Technical sergeant
Corporal	OR-4 Corporal	Senior airman
Leading aircraftman	OR-2 Private	Airman
Aircraftman	OR-1 Private	Airman basic

Overview

Sri Lanka Army (ශ්‍රී ලංකා යුද්ධ හමුදාව / இலங்கை இராணுவம்): Conducts land combat operations, territorial defense, and internal security missions. Headquartered in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the force is organized into regional commands known as Security Forces Headquarters, as well as specialized tactical formations like 1 Corps. It manages motorized infantry, armored, artillery, and specialized commando and special forces regiments.
Sri Lanka Navy (ශ්‍රී ලංකා නාවික හමුදාව / இலங்கை கடற்படை): Conducts maritime defense, patrol, and search and rescue operations within Sri Lanka's territorial waters and exclusive economic zone. Headquartered in Colombo, it is structured into seven regional naval commands. The navy operates offshore patrol vessels, fast attack craft, and specialized components such as the Special Boat Squadron and the Marine Corps.
Sri Lanka Air Force (ශ්‍රී ලංකා ගුවන් හමුදාව / இலங்கை வான்படை): Conducts aerial defense, close air support, transport, and maritime surveillance operations. Headquartered in Colombo, the branch operates a fleet of fixed-wing transport aircraft, fighters, and helicopters across multiple specialized air bases. Ground defense and air base security are handled by the dedicated Sri Lanka Air Force Regiment.

Sri Lanka Military

🇱🇰 vs 🇧🇩 Bangladesh ranks 🇱🇰 vs 🇨🇳 China ranks 🇱🇰 vs 🇮🇳 India ranks All rank structures Sri Lanka Military Overview

Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) and other open sources.

Insignia image credits

Skjoldbro — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: General, Lieutenant general, Major general, Brigadier, Colonel, Lieutenant colonel, Major, Captain (Army), Lieutenant (Army), Second lieutenant, Commodore, Captain (Navy), Commander, Lieutenant commander, Lieutenant (Navy), Sub-lieutenant, Midshipman, Master chief petty officer, Fleet chief petty officer, Chief petty officer, Petty officer, Leading seaman, Air chief marshal, Air marshal, Air vice-marshal, Air commodore, Group captain, Wing commander, Squadron leader, Flight lieutenant, Flying officer, Pilot officer
MrInfo2012 — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Warrant officer class I, Warrant officer class II, Staff sergeant, Sergeant (Army), Corporal / Bombardier, Lance corporal / Lance bombardier, Master warrant officer, Warrant officer, Flight sergeant, Sergeant (Air Force), Corporal, Leading aircraftman
Punkhung — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Admiral, Vice admiral, Rear admiral