Air vice-marshal
Air vice-marshal (AVM) is a two-star air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many 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 Vice-Marshal | |
|---|---|
An RAF Air Vice-Marshal's command flag | |
Shoulder and sleeve insignia from the Royal Air Force | |
An RAF Air Vice-Marshal star plate | |
| Service branch | Air Forces |
| Abbreviation | AVM / Air Vce Mshl |
| Rank | Two-star |
| NATO rank code | OF-7 |
| Non-NATO rank | O-8 |
| Formation | 1 August 1919 (RAF) |
| Next higher rank | Air Marshal |
| Next lower rank | Air Commodore |
| Equivalent ranks | |
Air vice-marshal is a two-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-7. It is equivalent to a rear-admiral in the Royal Navy or a major-general in the British Army or the Royal Marines. In other NATO forces, such as the United States Armed Forces and the Canadian Armed Forces, the equivalent two-star rank is major general.
The rank of Air Vice-Marshal is immediately senior to the rank Air Commodore and immediately subordinate to the rank of Air Marshal. Since before the Second World War it has been common for air officers commanding RAF groups to hold the rank of Air Vice-Marshal. In small air forces such as the Royal New Zealand Air Force and the Ghana Air Force, the head of the air force holds the rank of Air Vice-Marshal.
The equivalent rank in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force, Women's Royal Air Force (until 1968) and Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (until 1980) was "air chief commandant".